And So I Ran
by Swimming the Same Deep Waters
Summary: Ana asked Christian how bad it could be, and so he showed her. Leaving Christian, Ana finds herself alone and running from the man who bruised her backside yet owns her heart. But Seattle is a big place, and Christian isn't the only man with a dark past and even darker desires. There are some things - and people - even Christian can't protect her from.
1. Chapter 1

It was my own fault. I'd asked Christian to show me how bad it could get. And because I'd promised him I could handle it, he had.

I could feel the bile rising in my throat with each crack of the belt across my backside – the bitter sting that proved, louder than any words, that I wasn't – that I could never be what Christian wanted and needed. Yet still, I counted. I got to six before I started pushing away from him – some slumbering vestige of self-protection rousing itself and kicking in.

I raced from the playroom, my destination unclear. I didn't know where I wanted to be other than as far away as possible from _him._ How could I have fallen in love with a man who was so tender yet paradoxically also so vicious? As he followed me into the subs' room, or was it my room now, he pulled me hard against him. His tender hands and words attempting to soothe and reassure my battered flesh and injured soul. His offerings of arnica and Advil poor payment for the injuries he'd inflicted.

And yet he looked so lost. Fearful even. Who was he to look at me with such trepidation? I was the aggrieved party, here. I was the one to fall in love with an angel who turned out to be in equal part a devil. A man who was terrified of loving me and convinced, in turn, he was unlovable. So when my words finally came, it was an apology. I apologized for not being the woman Christian needed me to be. Yet Mr. Mercurial managed to turn even that on me.

"You're right. I should let you go. I am no good for you."

And I couldn't argue because my sore backside and even more injured heart were the proof.I didn't want to go, but my dignity would not allow me to stay. I'd fallen in love with a man of extremes – and while the good was so very good, there was an equally large part that scared and hurt me. But above all, I loved Christian Grey too well not to be everything he needed. I loved him too well to fail him.

The whole idea that he liked inflicting pain on me was repulsive. That he not only liked it, but that it _aroused_ him. I loved Christian, and as my first and only lover, he'd been the one to introduce me to so much physical pleasure, but I couldn't bear the pain that he needed to inflict. Worshiping my body was not enough for him; he wanted to whip it, too. So I'd confessed my love, then gathering the tatters of my dignity around me I'd accepted a check for Wanda then left everything else he'd given me as I did the only thing I could do. And so I ran.

* * *

The first days were the worst. Returning to my new apartment on Saturday morning, I couldn't eat or sleep. The apartment was empty, and thanks to my time with Christian still unfamiliar, so I spent hours in my bed, cuddling the rapidly deflating Charlie Tango balloon that served as an apt metaphor for my short-lived and disastrous love affair with Christian Grey. He'd taken me to previously unknown heights, but then let me fall to untold lows. If it hadn't been for my job at Seattle Independent Publishing, I doubt I would have found the motivation to get out of bed at all. Yet Monday morning found me eyeing my wardrobe critically, looking for an outfit that was professional but stylish.

Recognizing neither of those epithets could be applied to my modest selection of clothing, I took Kate up on her long-standing offer of raiding her own copious closet. While Kate was taller and curvier than me, I knew from experience several of her dresses and separates worked on my smaller frame. With Kate's preference for short and tight clothing, on my figure her outfits were longer and a little looser. Perfect for work.

Slipping into a grey pencil skirt and a loose white handkerchief linen blouse, I finished the look with a thin red leather belt and a pair of moderate height red heels. My hair pulled up into a high ponytail with wisps framing my face, I added some concealer under my eyes, a little mascara and some lip gloss. Professional and a little edgy, I decided with a heavy heart. It was the first day of my first job, yet I could muster zero enthusiasm. Still – I refused to let my mind drift to the source of my unease. The illustrious Christian Grey. Today was meant to be about new beginnings, so pushing my errant thoughts about Christian aside I opened the fridge for the first time since I'd returned home.

Because of Kate's absence, and my own, there was precious little edible in its icy confines. In the end, I settled for a tin of soda, filching an apple from the fruit bowl to serve as breakfast and lunch, even though I knew in my present mood I'd be lucky to finish even that. Carefully checking the windows were fastened and locked, and the television off, I moved out to the foyer, deadlocking the apartment door behind me.

With Wanda sold, the proceeds still a check in my handbag, I wouldn't be driving to work. I hadn't had time to look up the bus schedule, although I knew the area to be well serviced. Deciding my first day warranted a treat, I hailed a cab and gave them the address of SIP. I was still getting used to Seattle. While I'd been here from time growing up with Ray in Montesano, I saw Seattle with visitor's eyes. It wasn't until I was almost upon it that I realized my route to work would take me past one of the most identifiable embodiments of Christian's success. Stopping at the traffic lights on the neighboring intersection, I looked up at Grey House – a building as cold and formidable as I'd sometimes known its owner to be. Fiercely modern, and almost aggressive in its functionality, there was nonetheless a beauty in its utility. A cold metal and glass shrine for a man who refused to believe he deserved to be loved. The scene of the crime, I thought to myself. Well; one of them, at least.

It was early; I wondered whether he'd be there yet? Or was he still at Escala? Christian had said he liked to work out during the week, so perhaps he was with his trainer now?

I found it fascinating that I knew the man so well, yet in other ways, Christian was a complete stranger to me. Where was he now? What was he thinking? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? Had he thought of me at all since I'd left him on Saturday morning?

My inner conscious seemed to take great pleasure in assuring me I was one of a long string of female playthings in Christian's life, and that by the end of the week he'd be lucky to remember my name let alone anything about me. By the coming weekend, he'd no doubt have a new girl reading an NDA then probably driving my little red Audi. My inner Goddess was shaking her head reprovingly, perversely reminding me of his look of panic when I'd left. The way he'd stood watching me as the elevator doors closed, looking as if his heart were shattering in sympathy with my own.

Shaking myself from my reverie, I refused to even look at Escala as we passed it not long after, lest I dissolve into a pathetic weeping bundle and miss my first day of work.

Pulling up out the front of SIP twenty minutes before I was due for my induction, I cursed my own inattention. Now I could either stand out the front for twenty minutes or find another way to occupy myself. Seattle's weather typically bordering on inclement, I handed a few bills to the cabbie and surveyed the block, spotting a likely looking café across the road all the while wishing I'd thought to bring a jacket.

Crossing the road, a handsome man opened the door for me. Standing straight upright, with short dark hair and eyes that didn't stop moving, thanks to my father, Ray, I recognized a military man when I saw one.

"Thank you," I said softly, slipping through the door and into the warmth of the café.

"You're welcome, Ma'am," he replied, following me into the café and walking straight up to the counter. After checking whether I was ready to order, he ordered a large black coffee to go while I stood looking at the menu. I didn't drink coffee – only ever tea. However since I doubted they'd have my favored Twinings English Breakfast tea, I decided to branch out and try a hazelnut latte. Paying for my drink, and wrapping my hands around the tall glass enjoying the warmth, I chose a seat in the window, perching on a stool and indulging in one of my favorite activities. People watching.

' _A mom trying to get her son to crèche before work'_ I thought, watching a woman in her thirties steer a recalcitrant young lad wearing a brightly colored backpack down the sidewalk. _'Young professional guys – maybe commercial real estate agents,'_ I mused as a bunch of suited young men walked past, one catching my gaze through the window and winking saucily. Looking away in disgust, I turned my eyes to those inside the coffee shop. Mostly young professionals getting coffee to go, there were a few seated, including Mr. Military. Sitting side on to me several tables away, his attention was focused on what appeared to be a hunting and fishing magazine. Yep. Definitely a military guy.

The latte had been a surprise. Milky enough to disguise the taste of the coffee, the hazelnut syrup had given it a sweet, nutty flavor. But best of all the caffeine felt like it would give me a welcome spring to my step; just what I needed for my first day, especially given the circumstances. Carefully checking my watch, the modest gold one Ray had given me when I graduated high school, I saw it was five to nine. Early enough to show I was taking my new job seriously, but not early enough to be an inconvenience. Draining the last from my glass, I returned it to the counter before stepping out into the Seattle morning. Still overcast, I noted, at least it wasn't raining. Yet.

Walking through the glass doors to SIP, I stopped at the front desk.

"Hi. I'm Ana Steele. I'm starting today," I said channeling the signature Katherine Kavanagh confidence. Firm but friendly.

"Hi Ana, I'm Claire," the friendly woman on reception greeted. "You're meant to be meeting with Elizabeth Morgan, right?"

"That's right."

"Look, I'm afraid she's called in sick, today, but you'll be working with Jack Hyde, anyway. Take a seat; I'll just buzz him."

Looking at the low, leather seating, I was grateful Claire was the only occupant in the foyer. I wasn't sure how I'd be able to seat myself gracefully when the seats were so low. I'd just managed to arrange myself demurely on one black leather sofa, thinking that if the rest of the building were this cold, I'd definitely need to invest in a jacket, when the man I recognized as Jack Hyde came through the internal glass doors and into reception.

"Ana!" he said, walking forward, and extending a courteous hand to help me up before deftly turning it into a lingering handshake. "I can't tell you how pleased I am you're starting today! My previous assistant left with very little warning – family problems – and I am in desperate need of an assistant."

"I appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Hyde," I said, giving him a cautious smile.

"Oh please call me Jack. We don't stand on ceremony, here!" he replied in a boisterous voice. His eyes looked me up and down, possibly lingering on my breasts where my nipples had pebbled slightly in response to the chill of the building.

"I think you're going to fit in here just _perfectly,"_ he said confidently, blessing me with a broad smile.


	2. Chapter 2

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Ros asked, staring at me over the top of her toasted turkey, cranberry, swiss and rye sandwich. She was sitting opposite me at my desk, having popped by for an impromptu and unwelcome lunch get together.

"What makes you ask that?" I growled, taking a bite of my own sandwich thereby avoiding the question. I knew I was in a mood – the staff scuttling before me as I moved through the building was evidence enough of that. I'd spent the weekend holed up in Escala, refusing to be distracted from assembling Ana's final gift to me. I'd finished that in the wee hours of the morning, and today I'd attempted to distract myself from Ana's defection by coming in to work, although a fat lot of good it had done me. Even here, in my office, my eyes kept traveling to the door, hoping to once again see her stumble through it.

"Because it's 1:00 pm on Monday and I've already had three staff members in my office complaining about you. What's going on, Christian?"

Ros was the only one who could pull me up like this, and while I wasn't in the habit of getting relationship advice from my second in command, she _was_ a woman – and in fact, she was in a long-term, committed relationship with one, too. She had to know a thing or two about apologizing?

"I fucked up, Ros. With Ana."

"The one you chased to Savannah?"

"The one and the same," I sighed, closing my eyes and thinking about those glorious few days. How Ana had surprised me by coming up to my hotel room after drinks with her Mom, then surprised me even more with her comments about Elena. We'd made love in the bath, and the next morning I'd taken her gliding. But that wasn't the first that my mind was lingering on most. In Savannah, I'd introduced Ana as my girlfriend. And I'd meant it.

"I really fucked up," I repeated, opening my eyes to meet Ros's.

"What sort of fucked up? Apology and dinner at a fancy restaurant? Jewellery?"

"She ran," I explained bleakly. "I came on too strong, and I frightened her away."

' _Came on too strong.'_ Better that than telling Ros the truth; that I'd shown Ana the extent of my depravity, scaring her and injuring her to boot.

"She's not an acquisition, you know," Ros said, watching me shrewdly. "You can't go in there all Master of Universe and bowl her over. Relationships are about establishing trust, compromise, and common ground."

Trust. Did Ana trust me? She'd trusted me enough to come to the playroom - or the Red Room of Pain, as she preferred to call it. She'd trusted me enough to submit – at least for a little while. But I'd taken it too far. Pushed her beyond her limits. Not just physically - emotionally as well. As a Dom, it was my job to read her, and I'd done a poor job of it. Although she hadn't _wanted_ a Dom – that much had been clear from the get-go. Ana had wanted _more._ She'd wanted a boyfriend, and that's where I'd let her down. She'd given me her trust, and I'd abused it. And to add insult to injury, I hadn't reciprocated with my own.

And what of compromise and common ground? I guess I'd let her down there, too. Thinking about our short time together, everything had been more or less on my terms. Sure I'd given her the occasional victory, but they were small wins in a war that overall she was losing. Letting her have the odd win wasn't compromise, it was a tactic to bring her to heel. As I sat and thought about it, I was filled with a sense of shame. Ros was right. I _had_ treated Ana like an acquisition, giving her minor concessions to distract her from my overall goal.

"So what do I do?" I asked my usual sense of purpose and resolve conspicuously absent. "Any display of affection is likely to make her run. What do you do when Gwen's mad at you with good reason?"

Ros chuckled.

"It depends on how bad. Sometimes I'll send her flowers or take her on a date. If I'm really in the doghouse, I take her boot scooting…"

" _Boot scooting?"_ I repeated incredulously, my eyes widening. Somehow I didn't think a night of country line dancing was the thing to show Ana I cared.

"I know," Ros said rolling her eyes. "Gwen really loves it, and sometimes it has to be what _she_ likes, you know?"

"I can't imagine you boot scooting," I said, smiling for the first time in days.

"If you drink enough beer it's not too bad," Ros replied with a shrug. "Some of those tunes are mighty catchy!"

"So is Chlamydia," I muttered under my breath. "I don't think line dancing is Ana's thing. What else?" I asked.

"Why don't you start with flowers? That puts the ball in her court."

"Four dozen long stem red roses?"

"Too much. If you've come on too strong, tone it back a notch. A dozen. Two, maximum, and not red. Put on the note you're thinking of her," Ros advised.

"It's her first day at her new job today. Should I send them there?"

Maybe I'd send Taylor. Actually, scratch that – he'd driven her home the other day, and that might bring back bad memories. I'd send one of the guys from the mailroom – an ugly one. That way I could get a full report on her reaction.

"Not at work," Ros stipulated, putting a halt to that plan. "Flowers at work will suggest to everyone that she's in a relationship or spoken for."

Good! I'll send her flowers every day so every fucker there knows Anastasia Steele is _mine._

"If she's feeling you're moving too fast, it might spook her even more."

"Ok. Flowers delivered to home. Anything else?"

"Just be yourself, Christian. Tell her how you're feeling."

"I don't know how I'm feeling," I snapped, irritated that I was so out of my depth with this.

"I think you do," Ros said standing up with a wry smile, scrunching up the grease-proof paper her sandwich had been wrapped in and tossing it into the bin behind my desk before leaving me to my thoughts. I sat for a minute pondering her words before pressing my intercom.

"Andrea? I want everything you can get me on Seattle Independent Publishing. Financials, Board of Management, employees, everything. I want to know what time the CEO takes a dump and how many mistresses he's got. I also want you to find me a florist."

"A florist, sir?"

"Yes. You know. _Flowers."_

"Yes, I know what a florist is," Andrea replied in exasperation. "I can take care of that for you if you'd like?"

"No. This is personal. Just find the number of a good florist and put me through. Once I'm done, send Taylor in."

I sat looking out over the Seattle skyline shrouded in clouds. Ros was right – I needed to do this carefully and not scare Ana any more than I already had. I was going to have to woo her – show her that I could be the man she needed.

"Mr. Grey? I have Neil from Brilliant Bayside Blooms on the line. We have an account with them."

"Put him through," I murmured as Andrea connected the call.

"Mr. Grey? Delighted to finally speak with you. Andrea usually handles the corporate orders, but she told me you had a _personal_ delivery you'd like made?"

I cringed as he said the word personal, making a mental note to check whether Neil had signed an NDA.

"Yes. It's for a young lady on her first day of work."

"A _special_ young lady?"

I could almost hear him salivating over the word special.

"A very special young lady," I growled.

"Well I have some lovely red roses here," Neil started.

"No! Not red roses. I don't want to scare her off."

"What about yellow, then? That means friendship?" he prompted.

"No. That's not right, either. She's more than a friend…"

"Well, what do you want to say? Maybe if you described the young lady in question?"

"She's beautiful," I said softly, closing my eyes as I imagined her exquisite features, her gentle, soft curves, and pale milky skin. "And innocent. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body."

"And what message do you want your flowers to convey?" Neil asked.

"I want to say I stuffed up. I want to say I'm sorry. I want to say I am thinking about her but that I'm not going to rush or pressure her."

"White roses," Neil breathed out with a giddy little sigh. "Elegance, forgiveness, pure love and new beginnings. You can't go wrong with a bouquet of white roses. I have two lovely types in stock. The shorter ones are very pretty, but if you'd really like to impress, I'd suggest the 'Duke of York' blooms. They're long-stemmed and have a delicate scent, although they _are_ five dollars a stem more expensive."

I snorted to myself. Did this guy know who he was speaking with? The time I'd spent on this phone call alone was worth ten grand.

"Go for the longer ones," I ordered. "A dozen."

"You didn't want to go two? It would look more _substantial."_

"Fine. Two, then," I agreed, guided by Neil's suggestion.

"And would you like to include a message for the young lady?"

"Yes. Please include a note saying _'Congratulations on your first day at work. I hope it went well. And thank you for the glider. That was very thoughtful. It has pride of place on my desk. Christian.'"_

My mission now complete, I went on to discuss with Neil the timing of the delivery, including my wish to hear back about how the bouquet was received.

"I'll send my nephew," Neil promised. "They'll be there at 6:30 pm on the dot, and I'll call you with his observations."

"Thank you," I said, rattling off my personal cell number. He didn't know it, but Neil would be one of only a score of people with access to that number. But this was important. "And Neil? This stays between us."

"Of course, Mr. Grey. As you can imagine, a man has to be discreet in my line of business."

I replaced the handset in the cradle as Taylor knocked on my door.

"Taylor. Come in. What do we know so far?"

Jason Taylor, my chief of security and right-hand man, folded himself into the leather and steel chair in front of my desk. Pulling out a spiral bound notepad from his jacket, he reported in.

"The lights in Miss Steele's apartment came on at 7:00 am, shortly followed by the light in the bathroom, then the kitchen. Flickering from the edges of the blinds suggests the television was switched on at that time, too. She left the apartment at 8:20 wearing a dark business skirt, a white shirt, red belt, and shoes. She traveled by taxi to SIP, arriving at 8:40. She went to the café opposite where Sawyer witnessed her ordering a hazelnut latte, which she finished. She entered SIP at 8:55 and was greeted by a male member of staff we believe to be Jack Hyde."

"What do we know about him?" I snapped. I'd already looked the guy up on the SIP website, and I hated the idea of Ana working so closely with an attractive man.

"Not much. Welch is doing some digging now."

"Get Barney to go over his IT accounts with a fine tooth comb. I want to know everything about him."

"Shall do." Taylor was giving me a look that said he wanted to say more.

"Well? Spit it out."

"Miss Steele was distraught when I took her home on Saturday. I'm not sure she'd appreciate this level of… surveillance."

"I just need to know she's safe," I growled. "It's driving me crazy!"

"Have you thought of calling her yourself?" Taylor suggested.

"I don't want to scare her even more," I said, my previous bluster gone. "But I am sending her flowers. White roses to congratulate her on her first day at work."

Taylor nodded. "Flowers are always a good place to start," he agreed. "Now about Leila…"

* * *

"What do you mean she caught the _bus_ home?" I shouted, the glass windows in Escala shaking and reflecting the sound around the great room.

"Miss Steele had a bus route map in her hand. She caught the 312 from outside SIP. It dropped her half a block from her apartment. She entered her apartment at 6:12 pm. At 6:30 pm a delivery arrived from Brilliant Bayside Blooms. Miss Steele signed for the boxed flowers and according to Prescott has now apparently settled in for the evening."

Before I could rant any further, my cell rang.

"Grey," I barked.

"Mr. Grey – Neil Horsham from Brilliant Bayside Blooms. You asked me to call."

"Yes, that's right."

"The flowers were delivered to Miss Anastasia Steele at 6:30 pm. As promised, my nephew delivered them."

"And her reaction?"

"She seemed surprised, at first, but when she saw the note, she seemed to understand."

"Did she seem pleased? Annoyed?"

Neil paused delicately before he delivered his answer.

"Neither. Alphonse said more than anything else, Miss Steele looked sad."


	3. Chapter 3

Flowers. Two dozen white roses. I opened the envelope and read the typewritten card. I'm glad Christian liked the glider, although I wondered whether it was really on his desk? Somehow it seemed unlikely that he'd wasted his weekend building it, but I don't suppose I'd ever know, now.

While the delivery was a sweet gesture, ultimately I was disappointed. I guess on some level, I'd hoped Christian would miss me as much as I missed him and would try to get me back. My heart had dreamed he'd call, or visit. Hell – even an email would have been something. But instead, it's roses - and not even red ones. The typewritten note seemed so final. Surely if he'd missed me, Christian would have written the card himself? And the Christian I'd known wouldn't have entrusted a personal delivery like this to a flower courier; he would have had Taylor or one of his security deliver them. I guess I was no longer an integral part of his world, though. And that hurt more than anything. To feel like I'd gone from Christian's girl to the recipient of flowers with a florist's typewritten greeting was devastating, and my heart crumbled further in my chest.

I couldn't throw them out, even though I should. If all Christian Grey had to offer me, now, were twenty-four perfect roses then I'd accept them, knowing I only had myself to blame. So I found a vase and carefully transferred each faultless bud until they were fanned out in a perfect spray. Carefully adding water, I put them on the countertop then turned off the lights, retreating to my bedroom. I didn't even switch on my lamp as I undressed and climbed into bed, curling up under the comforter and clutching the foil of Charlie Tango as I continued its baptism in tears.

* * *

I was sitting at the counter at 7:00 am Tuesday morning, staring at the still perfect blooms as I desolately dunked my teabag in a teacup. I'd barely slept all night. Every time I closed my eyes, I'd imagine _him._ And the worst thing is, I didn't want the dreams to go away. Even when I dreamed of Christian as the cold, domineering full fifty shades, I still imagined he was mine. That he wanted me the way I still wanted him.

Downing one cup of tea quickly followed by another, I put the discarded teabags in the freezer to cool. Kate swore my teabags on her eyelids were just the thing after a night on the town, or a session spent sobbing in her pink flannel bunny rabbit pajamas and catching sight of myself in the mirror I figured I'd need every bit of help I could get today.

Making use of Kate's closet again, I chose a simple navy shift, remembering to team it with a matching cardigan for warmth. A simple pair of low heels and I was done. Back in the kitchen, I retrieved the teabags from the freezer, lying on the sofa and placing one on each puffy eyelid. They were surprisingly soothing, and I enjoyed lying there in the silence, the occasional car horn or traffic noise outside the only thing to disturb me. I must have drifted off because when I came to with a start, it was 8:10! I flew around the house, quickly putting on concealer and then some makeup before locking the front door and racing to the bus stop, stepping onto the correct bus seconds before it pulled away. Relaxing back into my seat, I sighed. Finally, something was going right.

Riding through Seattle, I tried to focus on the day ahead. Yesterday at SIP had gone ok. Instead of the induction I'd expected, Jack had thrown me in the deep end. I'd spent most of the day typing up rejection letters, filing and sorting through the desk that was now mine. Overall, the work was simple so far. Jack was fairly laid back and easy enough to get along with, and while the closest I'd come to a manuscript was carting a pile of rejects down to the basement to be shredded, I was hopeful in time my role might expand.

Getting a foot in the door of a publishing house was a dream come true for me. I remember how excited I'd been in Savannah when Elizabeth had called to tell me I had the job. Such excitement was so far away now. Without Christian to share it with, everything seemed meaningless and hollow.

The bus stopped at the same intersection the taxi had yesterday, and without thinking, my gaze was drawn to Grey House, my eyes swimming with tears as I looked up to the twentieth floor. Oh, fifty. How much I miss you. How much I wish I could turn back time.

I stepped off the bus almost right outside the café I'd gone to yesterday. 8:50 am. Just enough time to grab a hazelnut latte to go. Opening my purse to get my wallet, I noticed the envelope with the check from Christian. I'd have to bank that today, I suppose. And then I'd have to think about a car. I sighed. It was one more thing I didn't want to deal with. Maybe I'd leave it till the weekend?

Walking through the doors to SIP at five to nine, Claire greeted me, telling me Elizabeth was back in today and was expecting me at nine for my induction.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here yesterday," Elizabeth greeted when I knocked on her office door. "Jack said you'd hit the ground running, so I'll just get you to sign your paperwork, get you a proper log-on to the system and run you through a few of the policies and procedures. How are you finding it so far?"

"Good, thanks," I said with a small smile. "I like it."

"That's great. I know, to begin with, it will be mostly admin, and that can get a bit boring, but give it time. Jack is a great mentor, and he's good at what he does. Once you've settled in and caught him up to speed, I'm sure he'll let you loose on a few manuscripts."

"That would be great, but I'm here to learn all aspects of the business," I said positively.

"You'll go far with that attitude," Elizabeth said approvingly. "Lots of editorial assistants come in thinking they'll be running the department in six months time. And don't get me wrong – there is room for growth here at SIP. But you need to walk before you run."

"Is that what happened to Jack's last assistant? It's just she must have left in a real hurry – her stuff is still in my desk."

"No she left because of some family issues," Elizabeth replied, her voice no longer quite so friendly, her eyes not meeting mine. "If you put anything you notice aside, I'll make sure it gets sent to her."

"Shall do," I said, making a point not to mention my predecessor again. It had been a touchy subject with Jack, too. Obviously, something had gone down – but as long as it had nothing to do with me, I was happy to leave it alone. "Is there anything else I need to know?" I asked, wanting to move the conversation along.

"Not really. We're pretty much nine to five with hours, although you might need to work late from time to time helping Jack prepare for a launch or travel. He travels a bit, but when he's away your workload will be lighter, so keep a log of your late finishes and you can come in late or leave early when he's away."

"That's great, thank you."

"I'll let you get on with it, then," Elizabeth said, a smile back on her face. "And Ana? My door is always open. If you have any problems or if there are questions Jack can't help you with, let me know."

* * *

"So do you have any plans for the weekend?" Jack asked on Wednesday after lunch, perching on the edge of my finally clear desk. It had taken nearly three days of typing, filing and shredding, but I'd finally caught up on the most pressing of Jack's admin, and could finally see the top surface of my desk. The drawers? Well, that might take another week.

"Not that I know of," I said with a sad smile. "My flatmate is away, but might be back by then. I haven't heard from her, so I'm not sure."

"No hot dates?" he teased, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"No dates," I replied, my eyes dipping to the table top. If I'd still been with Christian, who knows what he might have arranged for this weekend. But as things stood, it would be me, my bed, and a litany of tears. I know things should be getting better, that I should be starting to heal from this heartache, but somehow it felt like things were getting worse.

"Well – you should come out for a drink on Friday night," Jack said with a smile.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure," I said hesitantly. I didn't want to tell my boss I was going through a breakup, and while he seemed nice enough, I didn't want to give him the wrong idea, either.

"Well – see how you're feeling by Friday," Jack replied nonchalantly. "Most of us head over there around 5:30. If you fancy a quick drink, come with us. It's pretty casual, and it's a good way to meet people from the other sections."

I looked up with a smile. Phew! _Not_ a one on one invitation, then.

Jack left not long after to head to a meeting across town, leaving me to another pile of correspondence. I'd made my way through it then took a break, pulling out my phone. I thought I'd message Kate to see when she was coming home. Not that I fancied the inevitable Kavanagh inquisition about Christian, but right now I really needed a friend. I looked at my phone, noticing not a single missed call or text. And that's when I realized – my phone was still forwarded to my BlackBerry – the BlackBerry I'd left on Christian's kitchen counter on Saturday when I'd left. Fiddling with my phone I unforwarded everything, quickly shooting off a message to Kate.

 _Hey K – how is Barbados? Been working on your tan? When are you due back? A xox_

I put the phone back into my bag with a sigh. Barbados was four hours ahead of Seattle, so she was probably having pre-dinner cocktails right now.

"Hey, Ana? I know Jack's off for the afternoon. I'm taking some briefs over to the graphics group who does a lot of our cover artwork. Elizabeth suggested you could come along and see how it's done?"

Casey was an editorial assistant in the romance section who'd helped me figure out the capricious photocopier on Monday. And again on Tuesday.

"Anything to get out of typing," I said with a smile. It felt artificial and foreign on my face, but I was making an effort.

"It will take an hour or two, so you might as well leave for the afternoon from there," Casey suggested, gesturing for me to bring my bag. Turning to my computer, I started to shut it down. There was a ping of an incoming email just before the screen turned to black. I felt a moment of guilt but ignored it. Elizabeth had suggested I go, and nothing I was doing so far at SIP was so vital that it warranted an instant reply. I'd answer any emails first thing in the morning.

Getting out with Casey was a welcome change. We walked the three blocks to the graphics group SIP used, Casey gossiping the whole way about people at work, most of whom I didn't yet know. Even though I said very little, it was nice to be out with someone around my age.

The rest of the afternoon was fascinating. While we were waiting to meet with the graphic artists, Casey showed me a synopsis of a few books and an outline from the author and editor describing the sort of look and feel they wanted for the covers. One of the books had only a few mood words, and a brief description of the leading characters, but another was super detailed, down to preferred colors, fonts and the type of illustrations required.

"Some people have firm ideas," I commented.

"You have no idea!" Casey joked, starting in on a description of some of the authors she dealt with. "They'll usually do up three concepts, and we'll refine one from there. This one," she continued, pointing to the job with the super detailed description, "ended up with sixteen versions last book before the author was happy!"

"And SIP was ok with that?" I couldn't imagine so many drafts would come cheap.

Casey shrugged. "It's the worst sort of bodice-ripper imaginable, and really poorly written, but the author has a massive following, and her books sell in the millions."

"I guess it's not all destined to be fine literature," I said with a raised eyebrow.

"I work in romance; don't I know it," Casey replied with a giggle.


	4. Chapter 4

**From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Tomorrow

 **Date:** June 8, 2011 15:05

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Dear Anastasia

Forgive this intrusion at work. I hope that it's going well. Did you get my flowers?

I note that tomorrow is the gallery opening for your friend's show, and I'm sure you've not had time to purchase a car, and it's a long drive. I would be more than happy to take you – should you wish.

Let me know,

Christian Grey  
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

* * *

"Get Barney," I growled into the intercom. It was Wednesday afternoon, and despite my better judgment, I'd sent Ana an email two hours ago. And she hadn't responded.

My mood had been getting increasingly agitated as the week went by, despite spending an hour knocking Claude onto his ass every morning. My whole world was going to hell in a handbasket. I was missing Ana like crazy. I didn't need my playroom or toys - hell I'd do it missionary for the rest of my life if it meant getting her back. But I didn't know how she was feeling and whether I even had a chance. Then I had a crazy ex-submissive wandering around Seattle showing up at my house and generally causing mayhem. And the _last_ thing I wanted was for Leila to come anywhere near Ana – especially when Ana was already so freaked out about my previous predilections.

I'd been in two minds about emailing Ana. Ros was of the opinion I should wait until the weekend to make my approach. She said I should give Ana time to 'think things over.' On the other hand, Taylor thought I'd already wasted enough time, and said I should do something significant to show Ana I missed her and couldn't stop thinking about her. In the end, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to know how things stood between us, and if there was any chance I could get Ana back. And so I emailed.

In the past, our emails had flown thick and fast, so I wasn't sure of the cause of this silence. Did Ana not want to speak with me? Had I disgusted and offended her so much, she wasn't willing to interact with me at all? Or was she busy at work? Had she even _read_ my email?! I needed answers, I needed them now, and I wasn't remotely concerned about the legality of it. Hence Barney.

"Grey," my IT guy greeted as he ambled into my office wearing an odd assortment of clothing. It couldn't really be called a style, unless 'the first thing I put my hand on in the closet' was a new look. With what I paid him, he could afford to dress in a new Armani suit every day. Yet he chose to look like this. No wonder the guy was all but married to his computer.

"I need you to access the SIP server," I said without preamble. "I sent an email a couple of hours ago, and I need to know if it's been received."

"Received on the server or in the inbox?"

"What's the difference?" I asked.

"Well if it's received by the server, it means it's made it through to the company. Through to the inbox means it's been delivered to the recipient."

"Ok – well both I guess."

"That's easy enough. Were you worried the server is down?"

"No. I just want to know if she's damn well opened it!" I snapped.

"Well, that's something different again. If you want to know whether the recipient has _opened_ your email, you should have asked me to find out that."

"I thought I just did!"

For a usually unperceptive guy, even Barney had realized I was at the end of my tether.

"I'll get onto it right now, boss," he said with a small salute.

I didn't have to give him the details. I'd only sent one email to SIP, and Barney, like the rest of the senior staff at Grey Enterprises Holdings, knew a young woman called Anastasia Steele had me snapping at people and slamming doors since the weekend.

Ros came into my office holding a sheaf of papers as Barney scuttled out – the two of them exchanging resigned expressions.

"Publishing?" she asked, dropping SIP's financials onto my desk. "We don't do publishing – we do telecommunications and technology," she reasoned.

"We buy failing companies and do whatever makes us a profit," I argued. "I've looked at it. SIP is profitable, but it's stagnating. It needs direction. Roach is playing status quo, biding his time until retirement. But by the time he retires, it will be too late. SIP has a small stable of prolific writers, but they've turned their back on online publishing, which is ridiculous. The big players are starting to use e-publishing to try out new authors and genres. The overheads are much lower, so they can afford to give new writers a go. If SIP doesn't grow, the established authors will start to jump ship, looking to sign with more prestigious publishers who can also represent them in the electronic publishing domain. If we wait till then, it will be too late."

"And this has _nothing_ to do with wanting to keep an eye on Ana?"

"It makes sound business sense," I prevaricated, knowing full well if Ana's dream weren't publishing I wouldn't have looked at SIP twice. "I've checked out the other three publishers in Seattle, and but SIP is the one that we could best profit from."

"And you don't think Ana will think _buying the company she works for_ is coming on a bit strong, again?" Ros asked an eyebrow cocked incredulously.

"Then we'll buy it through one of the subsidiaries," I suggested. I had a whole team of lawyers and accountants I paid to work that shit out. Ana would never have to know that ultimately she was working for me. I don't care if SIP did nothing more than break even. As long as it provided a safe, secure place for my girl to work, and kept her happy, I really couldn't care less about the financial aspects. But I had a feeling with the right investment of time, money and people, SIP could be a little gold mine.

"You know, most guys buy their girlfriend jewelry when they fuck up, not a company," Ros said shaking her head at me.

"Yeah well. I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of guy."

* * *

"Taylor?"

"Sir."

"Well?! What's the latest?" I demanded as the suited security man walked into my office just before 6:00 pm. I could tell Taylor didn't like reporting in on Ana's movements, given she was unaware she was under surveillance, but I didn't give a shit.

"Miss Steele left her office at just after three with another editorial assistant. Miss Casey Rogers. Twenty-two years old, she's worked at SIP for eighteen months. The two of them walked three blocks south to a graphic art studio used by SIP for cover artwork. She was there for just over an hour and a half. When she left, she caught a bus from that location to her apartment. She arrived about fifteen minutes ago."

"How did she look?"

"I'm mixing up the guys we have tailing her, but the guy today said she looked upset."

My heart plummeted. My baby was hurting, and I wanted to be there to hold her, even though I knew I was the reason she was sad. I cursed myself for the umpteenth time for doing this to her.

"Mr. Grey? Barney is here to see you," Andrea announced through the intercom.

"Send him in."

"I've tracked the email you sent Miss Steele, it was received by the server at five past three and then made its way through the subnet mask successfully."

"In _English?!"_ I all but bellowed. I didn't need his technobabble.

"Your email is sitting unopened in Miss Steele's SIP inbox."

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to feel a wave of relief. Ana wasn't ignoring me; she just hadn't seen my email. Maybe there was hope, yet?

"She _definitely_ hasn't read it?"

"I believe it arrived at the same time her machine was shut down for the day."

The first real smile in days blessed my face. I guess I'd have to wait until tomorrow to see if the beautiful Miss Steele would allow me to escort her to Portland. I had the whole evening planned. I'd start with a romantic flight over the Seattle skyline in Charlie Tango at sunset, and we'd go to the boy's show; I refused even to think the fucker's name. Then I'd take Ana somewhere quiet for dinner and a drink. Somewhere conducive to romance, but not too over the top or obvious. I'd get Andrea to research somewhere suitable tomorrow. I'd probably want to have a few drinks with Ana over dinner, so I'd have Taylor drive up with Steven to fly Charlie Tango back. Taylor could return Anastasia and I to Seattle by car – and with any luck, tomorrow night I'd have Ana back in my arms and in my bed, or I'd be in hers.

With that pleasant goal in my mind, I turned my eyes back to Taylor and Barney.

"And about Leila Williams?"

Taylor's face tensed.

"We've tried every avenue we can think of. She's not using credit or debit cards; there is no one registered under her married or maiden name or with her description at any hotel we've contacted. She has not made contact with family or friends, and her cell has not been switched on in weeks. In fact, the last time it had a signal was before she returned to Seattle. If I had to hazard a guess, she is operating on cash and is intentionally staying off the grid."

"Well she has to be _somewhere,"_ I said smacking my desk in exasperation. Leila's inability to be found was a thorn in my side. "Could she be staying with one of the other… ladies?" I asked hesitantly, conscious that Barney was still in the room. Not that the man wouldn't have _some_ idea of what went on in my private life. I mean – the man was privy to all my electronic communications, and today wasn't the first time I'd asked him to access private information illegally. Plus he'd no doubt been involved in the electronic search for Leila. He had to be clued in, to some degree, about who she was to me. The dude was well paid and could dress however he liked for a reason.

"As far as we can tell, there's been no contact," Taylor said curtly. "We've been in touch with everyone local, plus they're under surveillance, and everyone else we know where they are and who they're talking to."

"What about the community? Has she turned up anywhere there? One of the clubs? Or Mrs. Lincoln?"

"Nothing we've detected," Taylor reassured me. "And believe me, we're looking."

"And Ana? Do the people you have watching her have a description and a picture of Leila? Are these people armed? If it comes to it, Ana's safety comes first. I don't want Leila going anywhere near her!" I shuddered. Firearms were abhorrent to me, and I loathed even the idea of them. But this was Ana we were talking about. And while I was reluctant to admit it, I was willing to justify pretty much anything if it kept her safe.

"Miss Steele is our number one priority at all times," Taylor assured me, his jaw set in a grimace. "The team understands her safety is paramount."

"They'd better," I growled, trying to conceal my concern beneath a gruff exterior. I was a billionaire – yet I'd trade my fortune to keep Ana happy and safe. For the first time in my life I'd found reason to believe that maybe, just maybe, there might be a chance of something _more_ for me. And I be damned if I'd allow my fucked up past to ruin what I hoped to build with Ana.


	5. Chapter 5

**From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Tomorrow

 **Date:** June 8, 2011 15:05

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Dear Anastasia

Forgive this intrusion at work. I hope that it's going well. Did you get my flowers?

I note that tomorrow is the gallery opening for your friend's show, and I'm sure you've not had time to purchase a car, and it's a long drive. I would be more than happy to take you – should you wish.

Let me know,

Christian Grey  
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I sat and stared at my screen in shock. It was Thursday morning, just past nine, and I had fired my computer and email client up for the day. The only external email in my inbox, looking at the timestamp, this must have been the message that arrived yesterday when I'd left to go to the graphic artists with Casey.

I was the worst friend in the world; I'd forgotten all about José's show opening tonight. I should have booked an early finish at work so I could attend, but with a three-hour drive to Portland, even if we left right on 5:00 pm, and assuming we got the blessing of every traffic God on the way, we still wouldn't be there until 8:00 pm. Factoring in staying for an hour, it would be at least midnight before I got home. After the week I'd had, I didn't know if I had the strength. More than anything I wanted to see Christian, but I didn't know if I could endure it.

At the heart of it, nothing between us had changed. I wanted a boyfriend I could love and touch, and Christian wanted a woman on whom he could impose his will. I couldn't accept his rules and arbitrary punishments, so as much as I still loved and wanted my mercurial man, we needed different things. Fundamentally incompatible, I think the saying was. Rereading Christian's email, I started weeping. I was trying not to read too much into things, but surely Christian offering to drive me to Portland was his way of saying he wanted to see me? Had it been solely a matter of transport, he could have booked me a car and driver. But he hadn't. Christian had thought about me and reached out. Oh, fifty – you _can_ do hearts and flowers; you just don't know it.

Sitting at my desk, I felt more confused than I had in my life. I wished things were simple. Easier. And knowing what I needed, I picked up my cell.

"Dad?" I sniffled when Ray picked up the phone.

"Annie? What's wrong?" he asked. One word from me was enough to tell him all was not well.

"Everything," I whispered, dissolving into tears. "I'm so confused."

"What's happened? Is it Christian?"

"We broke up."

"Oh, Annie. If he's not smart enough to see everything you are then he doesn't deserve you." I'd never really dated before, so it was the first time Ray had had to deal with anything like this, and I could tell he wasn't happy.

"It's not like that. I broke up with him," I said, trying to keep my voice down. No one else was nearby, but I didn't want to be seen sniveling at work.

"I'm sure you had your reasons," Ray said calmly enough, although still sounding as though he'd like to rip Christian limb from limb.

"I did. I'm just not sure they're good ones," I moaned. "Christian emailed me and offered to take me to José's opening tonight. I'd forgotten all about it. I'm an awful friend!"

"You don't want to go with Christian?"

"I want to see him more than anything, but I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why's that?"

"I'm worried he'll hurt me."

"You're worried he'll _hurt you?!"_ Ray said, his voice furious. Ray was usually reserved and taciturn, but I could tell this had him outraged.

"Not like _that._ I love Christian, Dad. But I think we want different things. If I see him, I know I'll want to get back together with him, and I'm not sure whether that's for the best. It already hurts so much. I don't know what I'd do if we got back together and it didn't work out."

"Why don't you come home for the weekend, Annie?" Ray suggested. "José Senior and I are going to drive to check out the boy's show on Saturday. You could come here, and we could all go together?"

A weekend at home with Ray sounded perfect. Even though he was not my biological father, Ray was my dad in every practical sense. He had a way of knowing just what to say, and while I wouldn't be able to tell him everything that had transpired between Christian and me, he might be able to help me put things into perspective.

"I don't have a car. I sold Wanda." Well, Christian did - in just another example of his high-handedness, I thought bitterly, although my inner conscious begrudgingly admitted he might have had a point about the ancient VW's safety.

"Can you borrow Kate's car? She's loaned it to you before, hasn't she? Or I could come and get you?"

"I'll text Kate and borrow her car," I said, not wanting to subject my father to a four hour round trip unnecessarily. "She's in Barbados with her family, so I know she won't miss it."

"Ok, Annie. So I'll see you Saturday morning?"

"Make it Friday night. I know it's silly, but I just want to come home."

I hung up right as Jack walked through the open plan work area, heading for his office.

"You ok, Ana? You look a bit upset."

"Hayfever," I lied, grateful to Seattle's verdant outdoor spaces for providing an excuse. "I don't usually get it, but there must be something in the air today," I said in an attempt at brightness, explaining away my moist eyes and red nose. For the next hour, I was in Jack's office, planning – which was essentially organizing his schedule, meeting preparations and prioritizing my tasks to support him.

"I have the New York Bookfair next weekend," he said casually, "so I might need you to work back a few nights next week."

"That's fine," I automatically replied, my mind still on a certain email. An email I had yet to respond to.

"Great. Well, I'll let you get to it. By the way, when you're done, can you look over these three manuscripts? I'd like your opinion on them by the end of the day." He handed me three full manuscripts, and I freaked out. I'd be hard-pressed to read even the slimmest by the end of the day, let alone all three!

"Just the first chapters," he continued with a smirk, recognizing the panic on my face.

I smiled in relief. "Shall do."

I scuttled back to my desk, excited to get another chance at something beyond general admin. There was still the matter of that email to deal with. Deciding there was no time like the present, and knowing Christian would be waiting for my response, I opened the message again and clicked reply.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Re: Tomorrow

 **Date:** June 9, 2011 10:17

 **To:** Christian Grey

Dear Christian

Thank you for your email. Yes, I did get your flowers. They are beautiful and very kind of you.

I appreciate your offer to take me to José's show tonight. While I'd like to accept, the distance and late night would be too much for me given I have to work tomorrow. Accordingly, I've made arrangements to attend over the weekend.

Thank you for thinking of me,

Anastasia Steele  
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

Before I could reach analysis paralysis, I pressed send then started in on the admin work I had to do for Jack. I was keen to get started on the manuscripts, so they were the impetus to get everything else done first. I skipped lunch, something I'd done every day since I'd started at SIP, and got stuck into the first manuscript. I only needed to read the first two chapters to know it would be rejected. The central premise of the story was weak, and the characterization stilted and unbelievable. Jotting down my observations, I started on the second manuscript. Much more interesting than the first, I found myself at Chapter Five before I knew it. I'd been unable to put it down! The whole thing would benefit from a judicious edit – but the story was engaging, and it had me hooked. I'd suggest Jack look at this one and see if he thought it was worth taking to the next stage. I'd just picked up the final manuscript when my email pinged. To be honest, I'd expected it before now. Glancing up from the bound sheaf of papers I checked my screen. Sure enough, it was an email from Christian.

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** A Pity

 **Date:** June 9, 2011 16:12

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Anastasia

Your email was the bright point of an otherwise very humdrum day. It's a pity you're not up to visiting Portland tonight.

Since you have plans for the weekend, I wonder if you're free to have dinner with me next week? I am flying to Taiwan, but should be back by the middle of the week. I'd very much like to see you.

Christian Grey  
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I sat there mulling it over. My inner Goddess was doing a cheer squad routine, including flips and a ridiculous amount of fist pumping in the air. My subconscious raised her eyebrows at me, reminding me nothing had changed, and that I shouldn't commit to anything with Christian while I was this upset and confused. Still – he had reached out, and the tone of his email – particularly the last line – was positive. It sounded like he missed me. And heaven's knows I missed him.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Re: A Pity

 **Date:** June 9, 2011 16:19

 **To:** Christian Grey

Dear Christian

I'm not sure how my next week is looking. I may have to work late a few days. We can work it out when you're back. I'd like to see you, too.

Safe travels.

Anastasia Steele  
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

I pressed send, firing off my thoughts before I could overthink and self-edit them. I'd not said anything but the truth, and Christian deserved that from me. Resolutely turning away from the computer, I swiveled in my office chair, tucking my foot beneath me as I started in on manuscript number three.

While I could see the idea was good, the execution was confusing and circuitous, the language florid and labored. With enough editorial support, it might make a good read - but I was concerned the time invested would not justify the return. Plus something about the way the story was written gave me the impression the author had pondered and considered every word, and may not be receptive to editorial changes, no matter how necessary they were to the overall success of the story.

Somehow these occupational insights segued into thoughts about Christian and me. While we wanted different things, the look on his face as I'd left on Saturday told me that at least on some level he cared for me. He'd looked heartbroken, and his carefully worded email and sweet gesture of flowers hinted maybe there was room for negotiation. Maybe I was foolish to run headlong from a relationship with him when clearly there was still something between us. I was pondering this when Jack approached my desk.

"You look lost to the world," he said innocently enough, but as I came to and looked up at him, I caught his eyes quickly flicking up to my face. I couldn't swear he'd been looking down my top, but from where he stood, and the way my shirt was tented open, he could have copped an eyeful.

However when my eyes met his, they were guileless and professional, and I instantly chastised myself for thinking the worst of him.

"I was, sorry. This last manuscript had me wondering how much editorial assistance is too much."

I spent the next few minutes explaining to Jack the sense I had that the author would fight every suggestion an editor made and how, in the end, it might make the manuscript not worth the bother. Listening carefully, Jack nodded, detailing his own experiences with authors like that.

"Your inner voice is the best guide. I've already assessed each of these manuscripts, and I concur with your recommendations. You have a good eye for this – I think you have a bright future in publishing."

And while I should have been happy to receive Jack's praise, somehow it made me feel dirty.


	6. Chapter 6

I stood up and walked out of the meeting I was in, grinning like an idiot. I waved my hand at the Department Head, indicating he was to continue. I'd been like a bear in a cage all morning until Ana responded to my email of the previous day. Then I'd been bitterly disappointed that she had declined my invitation for this evening. I'd spent the next two hours raging until I called Taylor to my office to let him know we wouldn't be traveling to Portland this evening.

Understanding from my instructions and demeanor that Ana had declined my offer, Taylor convinced me to re-read her message. If Ana weren't at least a little interested she would have told me to leave her alone, he'd argued.

While I wasn't willing to share Ana's words with Taylor, looking back at it, I decided perhaps it wasn't quite as dismal or dismissive as it had initially appeared. Phrases like _'very kind of you_ ,' _'appreciate your offer,' 'I'd like to accept' and 'thank you for thinking of me'_ all suggested a familiarity and fondness that was promising.

I spent my lunch hour mentally crafting the perfect response. Ideally, I'd have suggested dinner on Friday to celebrate the end of Ana's first working week, but a series of recalcitrant emails from Taiwan had made a trip there seem more and more likely. In fact, now I knew Ana had plans for the weekend, I'd made the unhappy decision to fly out tomorrow. I resented having to travel halfway around the world to bash out terms that could easily be done via email, but I'd come to the realization that a decisive display of force would bring things to the quickest and most satisfactory conclusion.

Of course, the timing could not have been worse. With everything up in the air with Ana, and Leila still unaccounted for, I was loath to leave Seattle. Being so far away from Ana made me nervous, especially since I'd had the paperwork drawn up to make a play for SIP. Knowing Ana would never forgive me if she discovered I was buying her workplace before I had a chance to tell her, it was a perilous time to be away.

Andrea was making the necessary preparations for me to fly out. Because of the distance, it was going to be quicker for me to travel in a commercial airplane, something I hated to do. I'd become used to flying in my own plane, but for trips to Asia, the distance made using my smaller craft impractical. I was booked on the 7:00 am flight out of Sea-Tac, which would see me arriving at midday Saturday Taipei time. That would give me Sunday to meet with our local representatives, and Monday morning I'd be ready to visit the offices of the company with whom I was negotiating. I was hoping our discussions would take a day or two at the most – so I was planning to be back in Seattle by the middle of the week.

I'd used the Department Head of Finance's longwinded presentation to respond to Ana's email. I wanted her to know I was thinking of her, and that she was still very important to me. Only half-listening to what was going on in the boardroom, I'd used my Blackberry to type the message, making a point of telling Ana how much I wanted to see her.

This time Ana's reply had been only a few minutes coming – and I was overjoyed when she seemed to consent to dinner and admitted she'd like to see me too.

"Everything arranged for my flight to Taipei?" I asked Andrea on the way back through to my office. Ros could pay attention to the presentation in the boardroom and give me the CliffsNotes version later on.

"Yes Mr. Grey, I've booked your seat and the one beside it in first class, and I'm just about to book a seat for Taylor," she replied, ever efficient. I hated having to endure mindless conversation, particularly with travelers who'd never flown first class before so felt the need to comment on every single thing, so the protocol was I would fly first class, with a vacant seat beside me. Taylor usually traveled business class.

"Don't bother. Taylor can have the seat beside mine."

Andrea looked at me in surprise. The only person who _ever_ flew next to me on a commercial flight was Ros.

"We have some security issues to go through," I said by way of explanation.

I didn't want to tell Andrea that I knew Taylor would be in constant contact with his eyes and ears back in Seattle, and I wanted to know anything and everything he found out about Ana as soon as he did.

"I'll make the arrangements," Andrea replied, her perfectly manicured fingers flying across her keyboard in a competent series of taps.

Now I knew I wouldn't be seeing Ana this evening, I holed up in my office preparing all the documents and files I'd need for my meetings in Taipei. It wasn't until almost 9:00 pm that I realized given I knew she was not going to Portland, that I should have asked Ana to dine with me. Furious at myself for the stupid oversight, I summoned Taylor, and together we headed home to Escala. Walking in, Gail was there to greet me, serving up a late dinner of Chicken Chasseur.

Sitting at the kitchen counter, and loosening my tie, I stopped her.

"Mrs. Jones? I might need you to make a special dinner next week."

"Of course, Mr. Grey. For how many, and did you have something specific in mind?"

"It's for Miss Steele. _Ana,"_ I explained, even her name bringing a slight smile to my lips. "She's agreed to have dinner with me next week. I thought a quiet meal at home might appeal? I'm not sure – she might prefer a restaurant…"

Gail nodded in understanding.

"I'll make sure I have suitable ingredients on hand. If Miss Steele would like to come here, I can put something together."

"I want it to be nice but not too formal. Maybe something we can serve ourselves?" I'd noticed that ostentatious displays of wealth unnerved Ana, so perhaps a quiet meal at home would be for the best? But then Escala was where she'd run from me, so maybe a restaurant would be more neutral territory? I was sick of thinking about this. As far as I was concerned Ana was mine. I just wanted her back here – in my home and in my arms where she belonged!

"Leave it with me, Mr. Grey," Gail reassured, and I swear I saw her share an amused look with Taylor. Great! Now even my _staff_ were mocking me!

"I've packed for your Taiwan trip," Gail continued, pausing to hold out a bottle of dry Pinot Noir and a Sancerre for me to choose from. While I usually preferred Sancerre of an evening, I pointed to the Pinot Noir; it was more full-bodied, and the flavors would better complement the meal. Carefully pouring me a glass, Gail placed it beside me, leaving the bottle with it.

By the time I retired to bed, I was in the best mood I'd been in all week, although that didn't mean much. Things with Ana seemed to be on the up and up, and while I was still unhappy I had to fly to Taiwan, I'd be lying if I said the idea of bringing the company there to heel didn't hold some appeal. I had a full belly and had indulged in a few glasses of wine over my meal and as Taylor gave me the final security brief of the day.

I wandered into my room, Ana still on my mind. I looked at my bed – remembering the night I'd claimed her. Looking at my bed now, lit only by the light from the Seattle skyline spilling through the uncovered windows, I could picture Ana the first night I brought her here. The night I'd rectified the 'situation' of her virginity. I could all but see her on my four-poster bed; her delicious body spread out for my enjoyment. I could almost hear her passionate noises of excitement as I gave her her first orgasm. The feel of her wet heat when I'd pushed inside her, taking her as my own. Closing my eyes, I could remember her telling me she wanted to make love again – and me taking her from behind – telling her I wanted her to be sore, so she remembered who'd been there. Who she _belonged_ to.

Slipping out of my suit I walked through into the bathroom, turning on the taps in my oversized shower. Yet another place where I'd enjoyed Anastasia, I thought to myself. Stepping under the warm spray, I closed my eyes; picturing Ana's long dark hair lying in a wet sheet across the milky white skin of her back. The same pale skin that covered her stomach and made up her beautiful breasts.

Reaching up to the shower shelf, I grabbed the scented lubricating oil, pouring a generous amount into my palm before wrapping my hand around my hardening cock. I'd planned to use the oil as part of Ana's anal training, but right now it would do for another purpose.

Closing my eyes again, one hand against the shower wall steadying me, the other around my shaft, I started slowly pulling my hand up and down my thickening length. Between the oil and the water I was deliciously wet, and as my hand worked my cock, my mind was running a showreel of my favorite Anastasia Steele moments.

I started by imagining her on her knees, looking up at me with those unbelievably big blue eyes when she'd fallen into my office that first day. That image was quickly replaced with another of Ana on her knees – this time with that smart little mouth of hers wrapped around my dick, one of her small hands wrapped around the part she couldn't fit into her mouth. I could see her cheeks hollowing as she sucked, and hear the wet slurps each time I fucked her mouth, thrusting the purple head of my cock into the back of her throat. In my imagination, Ana's other hand was playing with my balls, rolling my nuts carefully, her fingers toying with the skin behind my sack.

Beating myself off a little faster, I mentally switched to the first time I'd made love to Ana – specifically the first time I'd gone down on her. She was pinioned beneath me, my tongue lapping at her clitoris, tasting the sweet nectar she made just for me. Running my tongue over my lips, I could almost taste it now – the slippery, viscous fluid that turned me on like no other woman's had. I could remember the mewling noises she'd made as I'd fingered her; the look of awe on her face as I'd rubbed the front wall of her vagina, working her closer and closer to orgasm. And finally, the keening noises of abandonment when she reached her ultimate apogee.

Of their own volition, the fantasies in my head switched to the first time I'd penetrated Ana. Her gasp of shock and wonder as I'd slid inside her, slowly working my way in and out. Her hands on my forearms, her shy requests for more as she started meeting my hips, thrust for thrust. Our bodies wet with perspiration as I held her body in place with my own, pushing in and out of her tight little pussy until she unraveled beneath me, her breath hitching and then a cry of pleasure escaping her lips, plump and swollen from my own upon them.

With Ana's cries of pleasure echoing through my head, I found myself letting go, my hand pumping my cock hard as it exploded – jettisoning my seed into the warmth of the shower, my voice crying out Ana's name as I imagined cumming inside her once again.

My legs were shaking as I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the shower screen. My muscles slowly relaxing as my breath slowed, returning to its normal pace. I couldn't wait to get this trip to Taiwan over and done with. I missed Ana. I missed her smart little mouth, I missed her beauty, I missed the way she could calm me with a single, gentle touch.

If being without her for five days had taught me one thing, it was that I needed Ana. Hell – I was pretty sure I loved her. And I would do whatever it took to get her back!


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up Friday morning feeling better than I had all week. Christian's email of the day before requesting dinner the following week had done a lot to improve my mood. That said, a night where I hadn't fallen asleep crying had done wonders, too. Christian describing my email as the 'bright point' of his day had my inner goddess doing pirouettes, and even my subconscious allowed that it was hard to misconstrue his statement _'I'd very much like to see you.'_

Looking out the window, it was a pleasant Seattle morning. Claire had reminded me yesterday afternoon that SIP did 'dress-down Friday,' so this morning I opted for my favorite jeans. I was standing in front of my closet, smiling at the thought of my date with Christian next week. Almost without thinking, my hand reached out for the blue shirt that Taylor had bought me. Shrugging it on, it worked perfectly with the jeans. Quickly stuffing a duffel bag with clothes for the weekend

I proceeded to the bathroom, looking at myself critically.

I looked a bit thinner, but some shine had returned to my eyes. The bags under my eyes were almost gone; a vast improvement from earlier in the week. I swept my hair up into a high ponytail, applied mascara and a generous amount of my favorite lipgloss. Done!

Ready for work earlier than usual, I stopped to peer into the fridge, noticing that other than mustard, sauce and a single bottle of beer it was empty. I needed to do a shop. Grabbing my bag and duffel, I ventured into Kate's room, collecting the spare keys to her Mercedes CLK. Since I was leaving from work to go to Montesano, I'd decided to drive to work today.

Starting Kate's car, I pulled my sunglasses on. Without the usual Seattle clouds to mask the sun, it was a little glary out. Still, I couldn't help my smile as I lowered the top of the sleek, dark convertible, pulling away from the curb and out into the early Seattle traffic. I drove the same route as the bus, which took me past Grey House and Escala. I wonder where Christian was right now? He mentioned traveling to Taiwan, but not when. Perhaps he'd gone already? For some reason, the idea of Christian not in Seattle depressed me, so I pushed it from my mind, deciding to enjoy the here and now of a pleasant morning ride in Kate's convertible.

Pulling into the SIP garage at 8:15 I was ridiculously early for work, so listening to the demands of my stomach, I carefully parked and raised the roof, locking the car and exiting onto the pavement. Strolling to the café across from work, I noticed several of the regulars were there, including Mr. Military. I smiled at him in the way regulars at the same coffee shop do, before approaching the counter.

"Hazelnut latte?" the young male barista asked, giving me a saucy wink.

"Hmm, not today. Do you have English breakfast tea?" I asked.

"I can do that."

"And a muffin, please. The blueberry one," I added, my stomach voicing its approval via a grumble.

"Take a seat – I'll bring it over," he replied, taking the note I offered and quickly making change.

I took my customary spot in the front window, although the foot traffic was less than it was closer to nine. I picked up a magazine, lazily flipping through it as I waited for my tea and muffin. Mr. Military was sitting at a table nearby working on a laptop today, I noticed.

My tea and muffin arrived, brought across by the over-friendly barista.

"So do you work around here?" he asked, standing a little closer than I was comfortable with.

"Yes, not too far," I replied, not wanting to give away the precise location.

He nodded, taking a step back thanks to my unwelcoming response.

"Beautiful weather we're having," he continued conversationally. "Do you have plans for the weekend?"

"I do, actually. I'm headed out of town."

"Oh? Weekend away with your boyfriend?"

"Going to visit my father," I supplied.

"So do you _have_ a boyfriend?" he pressed.

"I'm not in the market for anything," I replied firmly, sidestepping his question.

He put his hands over his heart. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me. And remember, I make a mean Hazelnut latte," he said with a grin, returning to the counter and his coffee orders.

My eyes briefly met Mr. Military's, and I got the distinct impression he'd overheard our entire conversation. I thought I caught a glimpse of approval in his eyes, but before I could confirm it, he looked back to his laptop screen.

* * *

I can't believe I'd made it through my first week of work. While I'd been missing Christian like crazy, I was enjoying learning more about the publishing industry. Even doing Jack's admin was educational, in a way. There was a lot more to getting a book published than I'd initially supposed. Next week Jack said I could sit in on one of his author meetings. I could hardly wait.

"Ready to come for Friday drinks?" the man himself asked, his blue eyes twinkling as he stood beside my desk. Wearing jeans and a black shirt, I have to admit Jack was a good looking guy. Something about the way he carried himself suggested he knew it, too.

"I can't. I'm going away for the weekend. In fact, I'm parked downstairs."

"Just one drink? I'd like to introduce you to the rest of the team." Jack's voice held a slight rebuke.

"Just one," I reluctantly agreed. "And I'd better make it a soda since I have a long drive."

"Where are you off to?" Jack asked, friendly again now I'd agreed to his request.

"Montesano. To see my dad," I explained.

"Is your boyfriend going with you?" he asked.

"Um. No boyfriend. I was seeing someone, but we're sort of taking a break."

Jack's interest in my personal life was disconcerting, so I tried to turn the tables a little.

"What about you, Jack? Do you have much on for the weekend?"

"Just a hot date with about a dozen manuscripts," he laughed. "I've been so snowed under I have some catching up to do."

We were in the foyer now, and some of the other staff members were gathering.

"Hey Casey," I greeted, moving across to the young woman from the romance section. "How are your bodice-rippers going?"

"You know – all heaving chests and throbbing members," she replied conspiratorially, earning a very confused look from a guy who you thought was in finance. "Have you heard the goss? Word is SIP might be up for sale."

"Really? I hope that doesn't mean they'll let people go," I said with a nervous laugh. I'd only just started, and I liked my job, so far.

"I wouldn't worry. When there's a change of ownership, the firing tends to happen at the top, not the bottom," she reassured me.

Minutes later I was walking across the road to a bar situated a couple of doors down from the café. I'd never noticed it before, given it wasn't open in the mornings. A sports bar, I had to stifle a smile when I saw the name. Fifties.

It was busy inside, so Jack placed his hand on my back as he steered me from group to group, introducing me to some of the other editors and people from HR and finance. I nursed one soda for as long as I could, finally making my excuses to leave at 6:00 pm.

"I'll walk you back to your car," Jack offered, putting down his empty beer.

"There's no need; I'm just under the building."

"I'm leaving myself, anyway," Jack replied. The two of you stepped out onto the pavement. Surprisingly it was still broad daylight outside. The bar had been so dark and crowded it had felt more like a nightclub.

"So have you enjoyed your first week?" Jack queried, standing a little too close as we crossed the pavement and then the busy street.

"I have. I've always been interested in publishing and editing in particular, but it's great getting to see how the whole process works."

"I'm glad to hear that," Jack said, stopping to open the door to the parking garage. Gesturing me in ahead of him, I had a moment of almost panic as the door closed behind him, enclosing us in the sparsely lit, echoey concrete staircase. "I've been very happy with your work so far," he continued in a conversational tone, still standing too close.

"Thanks," I replied, relief flooding me as I opened the door at the foot of the stairs, stepping out into the garage. I walked across to the Mercedes, using the keys to unlock the doors remotely.

"Whoa! Nice wheels," Jack admired, eyeing Kate's car covetously.

"It's my flatmate's," I said, not wanting Jack to get the wrong idea. "She's holidaying in Barbados with her family. I usually drive a VW, but I wasn't sure it would make it to Montesano."

"Well I doubt you'll have any trouble in this," he said, standing beside the door as I settled into the driver's seat. I lowered the window as he shut the door for me.

"Have a nice weekend, Ana," he said, with an almost wistful tone.

Gunning the engine into life, I replied, "You too, Jack," before carefully reversing and driving to the exit, leaving Jack standing where the car had been parked watching after me with a peculiar expression.

* * *

"Annie! You made it," Ray greeted as I let myself in through the front door.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, throwing myself into his arms.

"I ordered pizza, but I got hungry," he said apologetically, pointing to the boxes on the kitchen counter. "Now come and talk to your old man. Tell me what's going on."

I grabbed a slice and sat at the counter. Just seeing Ray cheered me up immensely. In fact, after a successful week at work, a pleasant drive down and knowing I'd be seeing Christian next week, I was feeling much better about things.

"I don't know what's wrong," I admitted, nibbling at the pizza. "Christian and I had a misunderstanding. I broke up with him, but I think I might have overreacted. It's just he's so overwhelming."

"Overwhelming?" Ray asked.

"You know. The cars and security. The money. It's all a bit much. And he's very intense."

"You said you were worried Christian might hurt you." Ray's jaw was tight, and I knew if I ever wanted Ray to approve of Christian I had to reassure him.

"Not physically. Emotionally. I guess I've just fallen for him really fast," I said, only telling half the truth. I'd signed an NDA, so I couldn't tell Ray about the belting. But with the benefit of reflection, it wasn't the physical pain that had scared me. I was frightened I couldn't be all Christian needed and deserved.

"But you broke up with him?"

"I'm not really sure. We're having dinner next week."

" _Why_ did you break up?"

Trust Ray to get to the heart of things.

"I'm not sure I'm what he needs. I'm not sure I'm good enough." There. I'd said it.

"Annie Steele, you listen to me. You're every bit good enough for that Grey fellow. I think it's more a question of whether he's good enough for you! You are young, beautiful, smart, loving. You have your whole life waiting for you. Don't you _ever_ think you're not good enough for someone!"

"But what if I'm not what he needs? He's so easy to fall in love with. What if I fall in love with him, and he decides he doesn't want me?"

"Has he given you that impression? Did he seem uncaring when you broke up?"

"No. He was devastated and begged me to stay."

"And has he been in touch since?"

"Yes. He's emailed and sent me flowers," I admitted.

"That doesn't sound like a man who doesn't want you," Ray concluded. "I think you and him need to talk this out."

"You're right," I said, finishing my pizza and climbing onto the sofa next to Ray, sitting cuddled underneath his arm.

* * *

"Morning Mr. Rodriguez," I said, stepping out of the passenger seat and climbing into the back so José Senior could sit beside Ray. I'd offered to drive Kate's car down to Portland, but Ray always drove when we traveled together, so we were in his Toyota.

"Morning Ana, Ray. Thanks for the ride. Looking forward to seeing my boy's show!"

"It's a good day for it," Ray replied, pulling out back onto the road and heading for the highway. José Senior and Ray were soon busily chatting about their latest fishing exploits, planning an expedition in search of Steelhead, King Salmon, and White Sturgeon. I was looking at my phone, wondering whether to text Kate and let her know me and her car had made it safe to Montesano when I noticed an unread message from last night. It had come through around the time I'd arrived at Ray's, hence why I missed it.

 _Landed safely in Taipei. It's just before lunchtime Saturday here. I hope you have a pleasant weekend, I'm looking forward to our dinner later in the week. Christian_

I couldn't help but smile. I was trying to work out the time difference between Taiwan and Seattle, and as far as I could tell it would be the small hours of the morning there, now. So I stowed my phone, deciding to wait until a better hour to reply. By the time we reached Portland, I was over hearing about fishing. Hopefully, José's show would give us enough to talk about on the way home, because I would go crazy if they talked any more about fish!

Parking almost right out the front of Portland Place Gallery where José was exhibiting, I watched José Senior puff up with pride when he saw "José Rodriguez – Photographer" stenciled onto the glass.

"He's done well," Ray commented to José Senior.

"College, engineering, and photography," José Senior replied proudly, stopping so I could take a photo on my phone of him standing out the front of the exhibition.

We moved inside to see a fair number of people milling around the space. It was a beautiful day, so Portland's populace was taking advantage of the fair weather and were out downtown in force. We started at one side, admiring the mostly landscape shots. I had to give it to José – he was good. And if the smattering of red dots beneath many of the prints was any indication, I wasn't the only one to think so. Checking out the sum each print was listed for, even after the gallery's commission, José was going to be in a good position to finance his last year of college I thought with pride.

We were about halfway through the first room when José himself appeared.

"Papa! Ray, Ana! Welcome to my exhibition," he said modestly. Escorting us around the room he commented on several of the shots – talking either about the location or in some instances about who had bought them. He led José Senior off to one side to show him a work a family friend had purchased when Ray and I rounded the corner to see seven massive photos of me taking up an entire wall.

Ray turned to look at me as the blood ran from my face. I stared at the enormous images of myself in horror.

"I had no idea he'd taken these," I hissed furiously. "I'm going to kill him!"


	8. Chapter 8

" _How large?!"_ It was 4:00 am Sunday morning local time, but Taylor had woken me to a cell phone image of a series of pictures of Anastasia taken by that fucker José. Apparently, he was pimping her images at his exhibition.

"They're each around five foot tall," the disembodied voice of Taylor's eyes and ears on the ground confirmed nervously. "They're ten-thousand dollars each."

Knowing Ana was going to her father's, Sawyer and Prescott had tailed her there from Seattle last night, waiting until she was safely inside before checking into a hotel for a couple of nights. Appreciating Ana might recognize them if they went to the gallery, they'd followed Ray's car as far as Portland this morning, organizing for new security to be waiting at the exhibition. The new guy had recognized Ana's image from the security packet and had rung Taylor to tell him about the photos.

"Buy them," I ordered immediately.

"That's seventy-thousand dollars," the man spluttered. Clearly, he had _no_ idea who he was working for.

"Offer them a round hundred," I continued, "on strict condition of anonymity and I want them taken off display immediately. I also want a guarantee no further prints will be made. Buy them under your name if you have to. Text Taylor their account details. I'll have the money there within half an hour. No matter _what_ , I don't want the photographer or the subject to know who's purchased them. If anyone asks, say it's for a private collection."

With a final look at the cell phone image of the photos, I handed the phone back to Taylor, absolutely seething. The photos were beautiful and well worth every penny I'd spent on them. What I didn't like was that José had been close enough to capture such candid images of Ana. She looked so relaxed and happy. The way I wanted her to look when she was with _me._

Issuing final instructions into the phone, Taylor was eyeing me warily.

"I'm going to have a shower," I said decisively. "When you get the account details, transfer the money from my untraceable account."

"You don't wish to return to bed?" Taylor enquired, no doubt working out his own movements for the day.

"No. I'm up now. You might want to take a few moments to get dressed," I replied. For the first time, Taylor wasn't dressed in a sober dark suit. Instead, he was wearing stripped long legged pajama pants and a grey V-necked TShirt.

"I'll do that, sir," he replied with an embarrassed nod, artfully not mentioning my own attire of boxer briefs and a white TShirt.

"Then let's reconvene here in twenty minutes for breakfast," I suggested, not missing Taylor's slightly surprised expression. We didn't usually take our meals together unless he was shadowing me at a restaurant, but I wanted to know the second this deal was done. Besides, I'd found I quite enjoyed his company on this trip. He was surprisingly erudite and witty, and he helped distract me from my ever-present thoughts about Anastasia Steele.

* * *

I was eating an unexpectedly good Eggs Benedict, and watching Taylor demolish a full cooked breakfast when his phone rang again. After a brief conversation, he hung up.

"You are now the owner of seven large portraits of Miss Anastasia Steele," he reported. "Also Miss Steele has arrived at the exhibition with her father and Mr. Rodriguez Senior. From what our man on the ground was able to overhear, Miss Steele was apparently unaware the photos had been taken or that she was to feature in the exhibit. She is furious, as is her father."

I chuckled. Ray was a man of few words, but I could imagine him putting them to good use in defense of his daughter.

"Mr. Steele was demanding the photographs be immediately withdrawn from the exhibition while the legality of their sale was considered, but your payment had already gone through so as far as the gallery is concerned, the images are yours. Miss Steele is furious at the photographer and has repeatedly stated she doesn't like the idea of some stranger owning her portraits."

I nodded, finishing the last of my breakfast. I didn't want Ana upset. Besides – this represented a good opportunity to get Ana's father on side. Firing up my laptop, I pulled up the background information on Anastasia Steele. Sure enough, a cell number was listed for her father, Raymond Steele.

"Wish me luck, Taylor. I'm ringing Ana's father," I muttered, dialing the numbers and pressing send, walking back into my bedroom and away from Taylor's curious ears.

"Ray Steele," the man himself barked into the phone. Even from halfway across the world I could hear he was unhappy.

"Mr. Steele, please don't let on to Anastasia, but it's Christian Grey speaking. Are you next to her now?"

"Yes, that's right," he said with a slight coolness to his tone.

"Could you move away for a moment so that we can speak without her overhearing?"

"Yes. I can do that. Shoot."

"A friend was visiting José Rodriguez' exhibition earlier today and saw some large portraits of Ana there. I don't know if she was aware she was to be part of the exhibition?"

"We're at the exhibition ourselves now. Annie didn't know about the pictures. José took the photos without her consent, and now he's sold them to some private art collector. Annie's beside herself."

"I thought that might be the case. Please don't tell Anastasia, but I've purchased the portraits. I've asked for them to be immediately removed from display."

"You bought them?" Ray asked, processing this new information. _"All_ of them?"

"I did. I thought Anastasia might be uncomfortable with people staring at her likeness."

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Ray asked.

I paused.

"No. It's not the only reason. I care for your daughter. Very much. Things are a little confused between us at the moment, but I am hoping to rectify that when I return to Seattle."

"She rang me in tears the other day," Ray almost growled. "She said she's uncertain about how you feel, and she's worried you might hurt her." I flinched. The last thing I wanted was for Ana to be frightened of me, but I'd flogged her with a leather belt. What the hell did I expect?! "She said she's worried she's not good enough for you," he challenged.

"Mr. Steele it's the other way around. Your daughter is _far_ too good for me. She's smart, beautiful, kind and generous. Any man would be lucky to have her love. I really wish she knew that."

"Well on that we can agree," a mollified Ray replied. "So what do you want me to tell Annie about the photos? She doesn't like the idea of anyone seeing them. She was already upset when she came to visit, and this whole thing has upset her more."

"Tell her you've convinced the gallery to remove them from the exhibition while they determine the legalities of whether they can be sold without the subject's permission. When I'm back in Seattle, I'll explain to Anastasia that _I_ bought them. I'd like to keep them if she'll allow it. If not, then I'll gift them to her."

"You'd give my daughter _seventy thousand dollars_ worth of photos?"

"I'd give Ana the world if she'd let me, Mr. Steele," I said softly, knowing the words to be the truth. Ray must have heard it, too, because he sounded a lot happier when he replied.

"Call me Ray, and alright - we'll play it your way. But get this business sorted between you and her one way or the other. I know she loves you, but I don't like my little girl ringing me in tears."

"Thank you, Ray. I'm going to do everything to show her how I feel about her, I promise," I said ringing off.

* * *

I groaned, kicking off my shoes and flopping onto the sofa in my hotel suite. The business with the Taiwanese was progressing much slower than I'd have liked. I'd hoped to be returning to Seattle tomorrow, but in reality, I still had at least another day or two of negotiations to get through.

Once upon a time, I lived for this shit. The challenge of getting what I wanted from a deal was like a drug to me. I immensely enjoyed the negotiations, the back and forth as I extracted each concession. But not this time. More and more my thoughts were in Seattle, and specifically with a beautiful blue-eyed brunette named Ana. I hated being away from her, particularly when I wasn't sure how things were between us.

She'd replied to my text telling her I'd arrived in Taipei with a message saying she was glad to hear I'd arrived safely, letting me know she was in Montesano visiting Ray for the weekend. I'd emailed her on Monday morning wishing her a pleasant week, and she'd responded wishing me likewise. Since then there'd been nothing.

Taylor's twice-daily reports indicated nothing out of the ordinary. Ana was catching the bus to and from work, and her flatmate Kate had yet to return from her holidays. Prescott and Sawyer had both noted Ana looked happier since she'd returned from visiting Ray. That good news had, however, been overshadowed by the lack of progress finding Leila. She had, to all extents and purposes, disappeared into thin air.

While I'd hoped to keep Elena out of it, I'd resorted to calling her and asking her to make some discreet inquiries in the scene. I hadn't been Leila's first Dom, and while we knew she wasn't with any of them now, it's possible she had a new Dom or was staying with someone she'd met through the scene. Elena had promised to look into it, but after that, she was much more interested in talking about Ana.

I didn't tell her Ana had walked out on me after I'd belted her. Elena maintained from the get-go that trying to introduce Ana into my lifestyle was a mistake and that it would end badly. Part of me didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing she was right, but it was more than that. Seeing Ana so distraught after I'd punished her had reshaped my point of view. I was still resolving how I felt about things during my calls to Flynn; however, I knew one thing for sure – I needed Ana more than I needed a submissive. I told Elena none of this, instead answering her pointed questions with vague answers.

"I'd love to meet her. What about dinner when you return?" she'd suggested.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," I'd replied.

"If she's truly your submissive, she'll attend if you tell her to," Elena had taunted.

"I don't think you heard me, Elena. I said _I'm_ not sure it's a good idea." I'd got off the phone quickly after that.

Looking around the exquisitely decorated yet anonymous hotel suite, I sighed. It was just after 6:00 pm Wednesday here, which meant it was just after 1:00 pm Tuesday in Seattle. I wasn't going to be able to make it back for our midweek dinner, so I'd have to let Anastasia know. Pulling out my Blackberry, I carefully crafted a message. I paused at the final line. No guts no glory, I thought, pressing send.

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Dinner

 **Date:** June 15, 2011 18:09

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Dear Anastasia

I'm disappointed to report that my negotiations in Taipei are taking longer than anticipated. I'm needed here for at least another couple of days, meaning I will be unable to see you for a midweek dinner. I hope you'll allow me to make it up to you on the weekend?

I miss you,

Christian Grey  
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Hopeful of a reply before I was due to attend yet another business banquet tonight, I poured myself a glass of Armagnac then dialed a long familiar number. Flynn. It was time for our scheduled call. I'd been talking with him daily since Ana left, and no doubt he'd be interested to hear about how I'd signed my most recent message to Miss Steele.


	9. Chapter 9

I was so disappointed. I'd returned to work after lunch out with Casey to find an email from Christian. He wasn't going to be back in time for our midweek date. Since his email last week, I'd been hanging out waiting for our get together. I understood he had business elsewhere – I just wanted to resolve things between us. If I was honest with myself, I wanted to see if we could try again. Nine days without Christian were enough to show me I still wanted him. I still loved him. And I was beginning to believe he loved me, too – despite his declaration he had no heart.

Trying to find the silver lining, I was thrilled he'd written that he missed me. I'd missed Christian so much it was unbelievable. Every night I fell asleep thinking about him, and I woke with him on my mind, too. But as his emails became increasingly fonder, at least my crying had mostly stopped. But I was horribly lonely.

It hadn't helped that Kate had messaged that she had extended her vacation with her parents and Elliot. She'd been due back this coming Monday, but now it was to be the Monday after. Hoping that Christian would be back by the weekend, I resolved to just get through the week, so I could spend every second over the weekend with Christian if he'd have me.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Re: Dinner

 **Date:** June 14, 2011 1:39

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian

I'm sorry your trip is taking longer than expected. Of course you can make it up to me on the weekend. Will you be back in time for dinner on Friday? I could cook at my place if you'd like?

I'm glad to hear you miss me. I'm missing you very much, too.

Anastasia Steele  
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

I was grinning as I pressed send. Christian's email hadn't been a declaration of love, but knowing what I did of Christian, I was willing to bet I was the first lover he'd told he missed them – and that counted for something. I knew he was trying. Still.

"You're looking happy," Jack observed, coming out of his office and over to my desk, glancing casually at the screen of my computer. Happily I'd minimized the email application as soon as he'd approached, so there was nothing on the screen other than the notes I'd prepared for a manuscript I was reading.

"Just starting to feel I am getting into the swing of things," I replied innocuously, some sixth sense warning me not to divulge anything about my situation with Christian. It was none of Jack's business – besides which, Christian and I still had a lot to work out; I didn't know whether it was going to be possible to resolve what we wanted and needed from each other. I didn't want to discuss my boyfriend with anyone until I was sure that's what he was.

"Yes. I read the notes on those three manuscripts, and I completely agree with your recommendations. You have a good eye for this."

I smiled, trying not to edge away from him. Jack always sat or stood just a smidgeon too close. At first it was unnerving, but he seemed to do it with everyone, which made it annoying but not alarming.

"Now I'm afraid I'm going to need you to stay back tomorrow and Thursday night. Not too late – maybe 6:30 or 7:00? I hope that doesn't interfere with any plans?"

"No that's fine. You warned me last week, so I've arranged my schedule accordingly."

"And is your flatmate back yet? You said she was in Barbados?"

"Not yet. But our friend José is staying while she's away. He's moving here, too, and is crashing with us until he finds an apartment," I lied, not wanting Jack to know that no one was waiting for me at home. I don't know why I said José, other than the fact he was on my mind as I'd been ignoring his calls and messages since our disagreement at the exhibition on Saturday. I wasn't prepared to deal with his bullshit, yet – I had more important things on my mind.

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Re: Dinner

 **Date:** June 15, 2011 22:42

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Ana

I miss you every morning and every evening. I miss you every minute of every day. I can't wait to see you on Friday. I know we need to talk, but almost two weeks away from you is two weeks too long.

Christian  
Lonely CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

If Christian's last email had made me smile, this one had me positively grinning! I was sitting at my desk at 8:15 Wednesday morning nursing a hazelnut latte as I devoured a blueberry muffin. I knew the next few days were going to be crazy. Jack had warned me there was always a lot of last minute work when he was getting ready for a book fair, so I knew I'd have to stay back tonight. Accordingly, I thought I'd get in early to get through the routine admin, so I'd be available for the other preparations once he arrived. But I had time to answer Christian's email.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Lonely

 **Date:** June 15, 2011 8:17

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian

Yes, we do need to talk. I can't wait to see you. I might not be able to email much over the next few days. Jack is getting ready for a book fair this weekend, which means I'll be particularly busy at work.

But I'll be thinking of you,

Ana  
Also lonely but looking forward to Friday night, Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

By the time Jack arrived, all necessary emails were answered, a few inter-departmental memos were actioned, and I was ready to hit the ground running. And that's what I did all day! It seemed like all me, and the other editorial assistants were doing all day was photocopying! I saw Casey, Edward, Tennille, and Mark repeatedly at the machines as we each duplicated the numerous author bios, manuscripts and other materials the editors needed. The line for the copy machine was getting so crazy that we lined the jobs up on a nearby table – each person filling the machines with paper and starting the job after theirs to streamline operations. It was a crazy day!

Casey and Mark were particularly excited. They were both attending the fair for the first time.

"I've heard it's massive! At least you'll know each other there," I said, picking up my latest stack of photocopies that were so fresh from the machine they were almost uncomfortably warm.

"Sadly not," Mark said, eyeing Casey appreciatively – a fact she completely missed. "No one hotel or convention center is large enough for all the meetings. So romance is happening at the InterContinental Times Square, and technical writing is being held at the Millennium Hilton."

"Oh ok. Yeah – Jack's meetings are all at the Sheraton Times Square," I said, feeling a little foolish I hadn't appreciated this was such a huge event. "You must be so excited to go," I said a little wistfully. I hadn't been at SIP two weeks, so I understood why I wasn't going, but I hoped maybe next year I'd have a chance to see the wheeling and dealing with my own eyes.

"Absolutely," Casey beamed. "Although Cheryl said I'll be lucky to sit down all weekend, so don't expect to see me Monday or Tuesday next week!"

Jack was short-tempered all day, but by the time I clocked off at seven, a lot of the preparations were done.

"I'm sorry I've kept you so late, Ana," he said with a rueful expression on his face. "I promise you; it's only like this a couple of times a year!"

"It's fine. All of the assistants were under the pump today."

"Still. I feel I owe you dinner to make it up to you. There's a nice Indian place just down the block. Fancy a quick dinner? Then I can run you home?"

"Thanks, Jack, but I have my flatmate's car again today, and my friend José has Chinese waiting for me at home."

"I'll walk you to your car then," he insisted.

Thankfully the lift ride to the basement garage wasn't as creepy as using the stairs to the street, although I still felt a little uncomfortable so close to Jack. Accordingly, when the lift doors opened, I was delighted to see Mark in the garage getting into his car.

"Late night for you, too?" he asked Jack and I pleasantly as Jack walked me across to Kate's car.

"All for a good cause," I replied cheerfully, giving Mark a wave and quickly getting into the vehicle. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jack." Then I started Kate's car and immediately pulled out, driving to the exit and heading home.

If Wednesday had been bad, Thursday was worse. I'd arrived at 7:30, and I didn't have lunch until seven hours later, when I shoveled down a banana and a cheese sandwich I'd brought from home while watching the belligerent photocopier belch out the final copies needed for the promo packs I had spread all over the floor of Jack's office.

It was several hours later when I had everything packed, boxed, labeled and ready to go. Jack had spent most of the day on the phone shoring up various meetings, author promos, meet and greets plus working lunch and dinner dates. His schedule for the weekend was almost full. It was just before 7:00 pm Thursday night when I went to Jack's office with the last of his travel arrangements.

"I've got your schedule printed – there's a paper copy here, and I've updated your diary on your iPad. You have lunch and dinner commitments every day except tomorrow night, although there is a meet and greet in the main bar for book fair attendees from 7:00 pm. You're departing Sea-Tac at 9:00 am, getting into New York at 6:00 pm their time. I have you booked at the Sheraton Times Square. Everything is packed by day and appointment. So box one corresponds to meeting one, and everything you need is inside it the box. Also, I have the leading author promo packs, each in its own box."

"It's a lot to carry," Jack joked, looking at the twelve neatly labeled boxes sitting on the small meeting table in his office. "Hopefully I'll have help carrying them," he said, with a cheeky look on his face.

"Help carrying them?" I repeated, not sure where he was going with this.

"I got word from Roach. One of the other editors was going to fly out tomorrow morning on the same flight as me, but changed their plans and is leaving tonight. Their return ticket is non-refundable, but it does allow a name change. I know you've been working hard, but if you're willing to put in a few more days, the company is willing for you to use the ticket and they'll pay your accommodation for the New York book fair!"

Jack was grinning at me expectantly, and honestly I was too flabbergasted to reply. I hadn't thought there was any possibility I'd be going to New York, so his offer completely blindsided me.

"I'll be honest – a lot of it will be boring meetings, but it's a _great_ networking event. You could make a lot of useful contacts, and at this stage of your career, that can only be a good thing. Plus I could really use an extra pair of hands on the ground. So, Ana – what do you say? Are you coming to New York?!"

He was right. It was a major opportunity for me. So why did I want to say no? Other assistants were going, but it still seemed like Jack was singling me out after only two weeks working at SIP. But I was only being invited because there was an airline ticket going to waste, I reassured myself. It would mean another few days until I saw Christian, but I hoped he'd understand. The contacts I would meet in New York were worth pushing our date back another few days.

"Well when you put it like that, how can I refuse?" I told Jack with a tight smile, hoping I wouldn't regret my decision.

"Great! If you give me your address, I can collect you tomorrow morning, and we can travel together to the airport. SIP pays for my parking, so we might as well both make use of it." What he said made sense, so I jotted down my address on the top of his schedule.

"I'll just take care of the name change and room bookings," he said. Fishing in his pants he pulled out a set of car keys. "Can you run the boxes downstairs and put them in my trunk? I'm parked right next to the lift – the green Camry."

I was tired from packing and lugging boxes all day, but this was the job of an assistant, so I did it without complaint. We had a large flatbed trolley, so I could move everything in one trip. Locking Jack's car, I returned to the office to collect my things and give Jack his keys. He was on the phone, but he covered the mouthpiece and said "Thanks for all your help today, Ana. I'll pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow at your place. Try and have an early night – it's going to be a big weekend!"

I nodded, collecting my bag and heading back to the garage. I'd driven Kate's car in to work the last few days, as I was uncertain of my finish times, and Seattle's bus system at night didn't particularly appeal. I needed to buy a car, although my inner goddess was cheekily suggesting that if everything went well when Christian and I finally spoke, I might be back driving a red Audi hatchback soon.

It was past eight by the time I let myself into the apartment. Flopping onto the sofa and pulling off my shoes, I allowed myself ten minutes of peace and silence before I had a quick shower then pulled out my travel bag. I wasn't sure if I'd be attending many of the meetings Jack had scheduled, so I stood in Kate's room trying to select appropriate items from her wardrobe. If I didn't buy a car, I certainly needed to shop for clothes, I decided. Finally at almost 10:00 pm I was packed.

I climbed into bed, setting my alarm for 6:30 am tomorrow. And then with a heavy heart, I messaged Christian to let him know we'd have to postpone our Friday night dinner.

 _Christian – an opportunity has come up for me to attend the New York Book Fair this weekend with my editor Jack. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and will be back late on Sunday. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you this weekend. Maybe Monday night? Still missing you, Ana._

With that sent, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep – and dreams filled with soulful grey eyes, and a man who seemed to still want _more._


	10. Chapter 10

I signed my name with a flourish, capping my fountain pen and turning to shake the hands of my new Taiwanese business partners. It had taken days of back and forth, but finally, the deal was done and to my satisfaction. As etiquette demanded, I chatted for a few minutes, politely excusing myself from a banquet dinner to celebrate the new enterprise, explaining I had a pressing commitment in Seattle.

Miss Steele. Ana. It was 4:00 pm Friday here in Taipei, which would make it about midnight in Seattle. I was going to be wrecked, but if we flew out this afternoon, I'd be able to make it back to Seattle in time for our dinner date. Initially, I'd thought I'd take Ana out, or ask Gail to cook for us at Escala, but Ana had suggested a meal at her place, and the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.

I enjoyed Ana's cooking. She'd cooked for me that first morning at Escala. Closing my eyes for a moment as our driver transported Taylor and I back to the hotel, I called to mind the memory of Ana in pigtails in my kitchen, cooking while she'd danced around adorably the morning after I'd made her mine. My dick twitched at the thought of it – the dancing and the claiming.

Taylor and I were standing in the elevator, on our way to pack and check out. I pulled out my phone, surprised to see a message from Ana from two hours before. I must have missed it in the final minutes of our negotiations.

 _Christian – an opportunity has come up for me to attend the New York Book Fair this weekend with my editor Jack. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and will be back late on Sunday. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you this weekend. Maybe Monday night? Still missing you, Ana._

"What the fuck!" I shouted, probably taking years from Taylor's life as the man snapped to attention assessing the lift car for any possible threat.

"It's Ana," I quickly explained, shoving my phone into Taylor's hand so he could read her message. "I'm going to call her right now and forbid it! I don't want her going anywhere with Jack Hyde. Besides – we have a date!"

Taylor stayed silent as I ranted, however, he didn't relinquish my phone.

"Sir? Is that a good idea? I doubt Miss Steele will welcome your interference. It could make things difficult for her at work, and it will give the impression you don't trust her."

"It's Hyde I don't trust," I growled. "All of his assistants leave within months and all for 'personal reasons.' I don't want Ana going anywhere with him. I'm going to call Roach and get him to block the trip. I might not own SIP, yet, but Roach won't want a business trip for an assistant to get in the way of our negotiations."

"It's midnight in Seattle," Taylor pointed out dryly.

"I don't give a fuck _what_ time it is," I bellowed, as we walked down the corridor to my suite, not understanding why Taylor didn't see the importance of this, "I don't want Ana going!"

Ushering me into my suite, Taylor turned to me.

"If you go in all heavy-handed you're going to scare her or piss her off. If you're so worried, why not join Miss Steele in New York? She can't be working _all_ weekend," he pointed out reasonably.

I stopped short. Taylor had a point. I knew part of the reason I was angry was that I needed to see Ana. Two weeks of what-ifs and wondering had exhausted me. I needed my girl.

"Book flights to New York ASAP. I want security on Ana from the moment she lands. Send Sawyer and Prescott, too. Get them to tail Ana to the airport and let us know which flight she's on. They can catch the following flight. I'd like some of our regular security on hand, just in case."

Taylor nodded, going to his room to pack and make the necessary arrangements. I had my bag packed in moments and poured myself a glass of Armagnac while I waited. Sure enough, Taylor was back within twenty minutes.

"I've booked the last two seats on a direct flight this afternoon," he announced. "There was nothing left in business, so I'm afraid we're both in first class."

"That's fine," I said, making a mental note to change the company policy about commercial flights. Ideally, Taylor should travel close by, so in future, he'd be in first class with me. Less than two hours later, Taylor and I were in our seats, and the plane was leveling out.

"We'll be getting in around 8:00 pm New York time," Taylor told me. "Sawyer and Prescott have been briefed. Barney is going to investigate the SIP server to get Miss Steele's flight details so I can have security waiting for her at arrivals. It's about 2:00 am Seattle time. Not much can be done now. Why don't you try and rest, sir? I'll wake you when I have any further information."

I nodded, reclining my seat into the full layback position and lifting the privacy panel. Not that I thought I'd have much chance of sleeping, but I could lie there and think about Ana. In our last phone session, Flynn had asked me to consider why my need for control was so exaggerated with Ana. I'd always had rules for my subs – as a Dom that was my job; to provide them the guidance they needed. But with Ana it was different. _Everything_ with Ana was different, and I'd said as much to Flynn.

He'd suggested that since how I felt about Ana was different, and the nature of the relationship I wanted with her was also new for me, I should consider a different set of parameters than those I'd had with my subs.

"Don't think of them as rules," he'd counseled. "Think of them as terms of reference for your relationship. And this is not something you can stipulate or impose, Christian. This has to be something you and Ana negotiate together."

So I lay back with my eyes closed, trying to get to the bottom of what I wanted from the beautiful Miss Steele. What were my hard limits and what did I want and need?

Taylor's gentle shaking woke me a few hours later. The look on his face had me instantly awake and alert.

"Sir, we have a couple of situations."

I sat up, returning my seat to the upright position, checking the cabin to make sure we would not be overheard. I also checked my watch. 9:20 am Seattle time.

"Barney went through the SIP server with a fine tooth comb, and there's no record of a ticket being booked for Miss Steele, or any approval for her to go to New York. So on a hunch, he took a look at Hyde's personal accounts, and around twelve hours ago Hyde booked a seat on a 9:00 am flight to New York for Miss Steele. It's the same flight he's catching, and he paid for it on his personal credit card, not the SIP one."

What the fuck? If Hyde was buying Ana's ticket with his own money, it suggested this trip had nothing to do with SIP or Ana's work. For just a moment I wondered whether something was going on between Ana and Jack. Maybe she was going on the trip as his plus one? But as soon as the thought entered my mind, I dismissed it. Ana wasn't the sort to play games, and her messages had suggested she still wanted me. Plus there'd been nothing from her security detail to suggest there'd been anything going on between Jack and Ana.

"There's more," Taylor said with an ominous look. "Barney was able to determine from the SIP server that Jack is booked at the Sheraton Times Square. I rang and spoke to the hotel, and Jack has booked Miss Steele a room for one night only." Taylor didn't have to spell it out. Jack was expecting Ana to stay in his room after that.

"Is it too late to stop her going?"

"I'm afraid so, sir. By the time I got this information, Ana's plane had already boarded."

"Have someone pick her up at the airport," I snapped. "I can't let her walk into an ambush!"

"Well there is _some_ good news," Taylor said stoically. "Barney was able to get a copy of Hyde's itinerary. They will be landing around 6:00 pm local time, and there are drinks for book fair attendees in the hotel's main bar from 7:00."

"Hyde won't want to miss that," I said out loud. SIP was stagnating, and social events like that were _great_ for networking. Hyde would be stupid to pass up the opportunity to meet people from larger, more prestigious publishing houses. If he had plans for Ana, they'd take place later in the evening.

"Exactly. We'll have security at arrivals tailing them to the hotel, but my bet is if Hyde's going to try anything, it will be after drinks tonight."

"How are you going to protect her?" I demanded.

"We'll have three operatives at the bar. They're all New York based, so Miss Steele won't recognize them. As soon as Hyde and Miss Steele are at the bar, Prescott and Sawyer will arrange access to their rooms. Hyde's will be searched, and anything of interest reported. We will arrive an hour or so after Miss Steele, and I thought we could travel straight to the main bar at Sheraton where you could surprise Miss Steele?"

I nodded. "Has the New York apartment been prepared?" I owned an apartment overlooking Central Park blocks from the Sheraton Times Square. It was the obvious place to stay.

"I've spoken with Mrs. Jones. She is going to ring the New York housekeeper with instructions. Everything will be ready."

"I can't assume Ana will want to stay with me in my room. Does the New York housekeeper know to prepare a guest room just in case?"

Taylor gave me a slightly amused look.

"I believe Mrs. Jones will ask her to prepare for every possibility," he drawled.

It sounded all in hand, but I still didn't like it. Hyde's actions suggested he had nefarious intentions. Even though Ana would have security in place to protect her, the fact remained this fucker seemed almost guaranteed to try something on. I don't care how much it cost SIP, I was going to call Roach, and by Monday Jack Hyde would be looking for a new job

"Sir? There's something else."

I fixed Taylor with my eyes.

"Yes?"

"Miss Steele had a visitor at SIP today. We would not have known about it, expect the receptionist had concerns and called security. The woman was gone by the time security arrived, but our team reviewed the security footage from the SIP foyer, and it was Miss Williams. She arrived at 9:05 and asked to see Miss Steele."

I hissed as Taylor passed me his phone. There was a grainy image of Leila. She was almost painfully thin, and her confident, playful stance was demonstrably absent, but there was no mistaking her.

"She asked for Ana? By name?"

"Yes. She was dirty, and according to the receptionist didn't seem to be fully in control of her emotions, hence the call to security. She asked to see Miss Steele. When the receptionist asked the nature of her inquiry, Miss Williams said they had a friend in common. She became disturbed when she was told Miss Steele had not yet arrived at work."

"They were expecting Ana at SIP today?"

"Apparently," Taylor replied, his admission adding further credence to the notion that Ana's New York trip had nothing to do with SIP.

"So where is Leila now?" I barked in frustration.

"I'm afraid she got away from us again," Taylor said in a voice that sounded every bit as frustrated as my own. "With Miss Steele not on premises, there was no one stationed nearby. By the time SIP security logged the event on their system, it was flagged at our end, and the team checked the footage, Miss Williams was long gone."

"So I have a crazy ex we can't locate turning up unexpectedly at Ana's work, and meanwhile a creepy boss is planning to try something on with the woman I love?" I snarled.

Taylor's eyes snapped to me, his eyes widening as he realized the words I'd just said. _'The woman I love.'_ I'm honestly not sure which of us was more surprised by my admission – he or I.

"That sounds about right," Taylor admitted, leaning back in his seat; no doubt dreading the next eight hours seated beside me.


	11. Chapter 11

I was relieved beyond words when Jack and I were seated twelve or so rows away from one another.

From the moment he'd picked me up that morning, I'd felt uncomfortable. Which was ridiculous given Jack had been nothing other than professional! The whole way to Sea-Tac he'd kept up a friendly description of what to expect at the book fair. Even though a lot of my duties would be administrative and boring, he stressed that even getting to know the other assistants would be profitable, at this stage, as they were the ones who would become editors in the future.

The more I heard, the more I appreciated what a big deal attending the book fair was. I _did_ appreciate Jack bringing me along, but it didn't diminish my misgivings. And more than anything, I was worried that I hadn't heard from Christian. I'd texted him at 10:00 pm last night explaining I'd be away for the weekend, and here we were, twelve hours later, and nothing. I hoped he wasn't going to be angry, but I feared he would be.

It certainly didn't help that I was disappointed I wouldn't see Christian tonight. Since his email more than a week ago requesting dinner, I'd been cautiously optimistic we might be able to find a way to make things work. I'd been horrified when he'd showed me what a real flogging felt like, but I was hoping that maybe we could take that off the menu? I was hoping that he cared enough to meet me half way.

When Jack and I arrived at the airport, Jack had tried every trick in his arsenal at check-in to get us seated together. However it hadn't been possible, and I'd happily accepted another seat. I'd ended up situated between two elderly ladies in coach at the rear of the plane. Still, I was grateful. I'd prefer six hours of innocuous, friendly chitchat than sitting beside Jack with his intrusive questions.

After a couple of hours, my travel companions settled in for a nap, and I decided to do likewise. I closed my eyes, my mind wandering to the last time I flew. I'd been blown away when I'd been upgraded to first class. It was just another example of the sweet things Christian did to look after me. My darling fifty. In the short weeks I'd known him, Christian had come to mean so much to me. Not only had he taken my virginity, I now knew he'd taken my heart.

I must have had a pleasant nap because I had a smile on my face when the flight attendant woke me a few hours later for a meal ahead of landing. My companions were also awake, so I settled into listening to more talk about grandchildren, craft, and social clubs.

I was one of the last to disembark at New York, but Jack was waiting for me in the arrivals lounge. I'd never been to LaGuardia or New York before, so I was grateful to have Jack there to guide me.

"I'll grab a trolley for the boxes," he volunteered. We'd both brought our clothes in carry-on baggage, but we'd checked the dozen boxes of materials for the book fair, so we'd need to collect them from special baggage claim. However, in less time than I thought, Jack and I were in a taxi and on our way to the Sheraton.

"New York is enormous," I gasped, my eyes as wide as saucers as we were in the back of the taxi headed for the hotel. I'd always wanted to go to New York, and I almost had to pinch myself to believe here I was.

Jack chuckled, shifting over toward me on the back seat of the taxi on the pretext of leaning over to point out some sights on my side of the vehicle. He was close enough that I could feel the heat of his body on my back, his breath on my neck making the hair there prickle uncomfortably. I wish he wouldn't sit so close, I thought, easing myself closer to the door.

"What's that over there?" I asked, spinning to point to something on his side of the taxi. I'd moved quickly, and rather than follow my gesture, Jack was regarding me with more interest than I liked. The expression on his face was unfathomable, but it gave me an uneasy feeling. Not for the first time I questioned the wisdom of coming on this trip. While it was indisputably an excellent opportunity, my subconscious kept warning me to keep my wits about me. Meanwhile, my inner goddess was sulking. Two days in New York meant two days more without Christian. As if seeing evidence of alarm on my face, Jack slowly turned to face the other window, moving back to his seat as he pointed out sights on his side of the vehicle. And then we were pulling up to the hotel.

We checked in within minutes, Jack handling the process while I people watched the foyer. A few other groups were checking in with copious boxes, so I pegged them as book fair attendees, too.

"We're all set," Jack said with a grin, passing me a cardboard pouch with my electronic room key. "We're both on the thirtieth floor," he explained, shouldering his bag. A bellboy was already wheeling the trolley of boxes toward the lift. Stepping inside, Jack kept up a steady stream of chat.

"I thought we could both freshen up, then go to the Library Bar? There are drinks there for the book fair attendees," Jack explained gesturing to the plastic card attached to a bright-red lanyard. "Because the arrangements for you to attend were made so late, I haven't had a chance to register you, but I'll do it tomorrow morning. In the meantime, you can come as my plus one."

I gave Jack a tight smile. Something about the way he'd said that made my skin crawl. I was relieved when I closed the door to my room a few minutes later, agreeing to meet Jack at the lift in fifteen minutes.

The room was lovely. Facing the opposite direction to Central Park, my view of the New York skyline was still enough to excite me. Flopping onto the king sized bed, I dropped my travel bag beside me, pulling out my phone. I was disappointed to see no messages from Christian. Maybe he was so angry he wasn't speaking to me? It was unlike him not to respond, although he could be mid-air, I reminded myself. Walking back to the doorway to my room, I snapped a couple of photos of the room and the skyline.

 _Landed safely and am at the hotel in New York. Hope to hear from you soon. I miss you so much, Ana_

I sent the message and the photos before drawing the curtains and stripping off, climbing into the large shower. Giving myself only a minute or two under the spray, soon I was standing at the foot of the bed, trying to decide between a calf-length sweater dress or a tighter more form-fitting knee-length belted navy blue pencil dress. Recognizing this would probably be the only time all weekend I wouldn't be lugging boxes or doing some other manual labor, I settled for the blue with a pair of three-inch heels. Back in the bathroom, I pulled my hair into a high ponytail, carefully pining loose strands of hair back from my face. I spent the remaining few minutes applying mascara, a little eyeshadow and a neutral color lipstick. I wasn't going to fool myself that I'd be the best looking woman there, but I hoped I looked professional enough to blend in.

At the last minute, I realized I didn't have a suitable clutch with me, and an unfortunate side effect of the stretch material of the dress was that I didn't have any pockets. I didn't want to have to hold my room card, so I carefully tucked it in my bra.

'Not bad,' I thought, giving myself a final glance in the bathroom mirror before stepping out into the hallway, walking to meet Jack.

"You look sensational," he drawled, unashamedly looking me up and down as I approached where he was leaning against the wall beside the elevators. It wasn't the words themselves that creeped me out; it was the way Jack said them, and the look on his face. When Christian told me I looked good, his eyes would be filled with admiration. Jack's eyes looked calculating. Almost predatory. I shook my head and as my eyes met Jack's again, the moment was gone, and he had his usual slightly amused expression on his face.

"Shall we?" he asked as the lift doors opened in front of us. We stepped inside, only for Jack to recognize an associate from Random House. The two greeted each other, Jack quickly introducing me before focusing all of his attention on the other editor. And that suited me just fine! I trailed the two of them into The Library Bar, pausing at the entry to look about me. With large oversized sofas and walls filled with books, the bar looked just about perfect, to me.

Jack put his hand on my lower back, and I suppressed a shudder as he steered me across to another group of people he knew. Introducing me, he helped me join in their conversation before excusing himself to get us both a drink. A moment or two later he was back with a beer for him and some pink sickly-sweet looking confection for me. I regarded the cocktail, pursing my lips slightly. I'd much rather be drinking white wine like most of the other ladies present.

"I forgot to ask what you wanted, so the bartender recommended this," Jack smiled, passing it to me.

"That's fine, thank you," I replied, taking a sip.

For the next two hours, Jack worked the room, giving me a little background information on each group as we approached them. He was careful to introduce me, and include me in his conversations, and I was pleased to notice I wasn't the only assistant here. By 9:15 pm, the room was starting to clear, and we'd spoken to pretty much everyone there.

"How about I get us a final drink before we head upstairs?" Jack suggested.

I'd been careful to nurse the cocktail for as long as possible and fill up on the canapés servers had circulated around the room. I knew I was a lightweight where alcohol was concerned, and I didn't want to be like some of the others I'd witnessed tonight who'd had more than they should to drink.

"A white wine would be lovely," I said sinking onto one of the sofas, glad to be off my feet.

"Well I think that was a very successful start to the book fair," Jack grinned, returning with wine for me and another beer for himself. He seated himself at the other end of the sofa, chatting about inconsequential work matters. We'd only been sitting there for a few minutes when I felt myself starting to sweat. I was trying to follow what Jack was saying, but my mind was beginning to wander.

"Ana? Are you ok?" Jack asked, looking at me with concern.

"I'm not feeling very well," I stammered out, alarmed when I heard my voice slurring.

"How about we get you back to your room?" Jack suggested, standing up and offering me his hand. I used the armrest of the sofa to help me into an upright position, but I immediately started to sway. "I think someone's had a little too much to drink," Jack chuckled. "Let's get you upstairs so you can sleep it off."

He wrapped an arm around my waist and helped me across to the elevators. We climbed in, the car's only occupants, and then he was all over me. Forcing me up against the wall of the lift, Jack was pushing himself against me, his mouth capturing mine. And even in my confused state, I could feel his hardness against my thigh – his hands where they restrained mine.

My subconscious was screaming at me that he'd planned this. Jack had spiked my drink and was now going to try and force himself on me. He was so much stronger than me, and the ride in the elevator seemed to go forever. When the lift doors opened, I pushed Jack away from me with all my might, spinning to run down the corridor. If I could just get to my room I'd be safe, I reasoned. But in my befuddled state and wearing heels, I didn't stand a chance.

I felt Jack's hand grab my arm, and I started to stumble as he pulled to keep me upright.

"Don't be like that, Ana," he said, his blue eyes dancing with mischief and menace. "I just want to have a little fun…"

"Fun?" I repeated, trying to buy myself some time as Ray's instructions echoed through my head. _Eyes, nose, knees, crotch._

"C'mon baby, don't you want to have some fun with me?" Jack coaxed.

Taking a small step back, I willed my aim to be true. And then I raised my foot, using the top of it to kick Jack as hard as I could between his legs. He bellowed in pain and outrage, sinking to his knees, and I used his incapacitation to escape. I wobbled as fast as I could – by some miracle finding my room, and the plastic card in my bra, and letting myself in.

I was sweaty and nauseous, and the room was tilting in a truly alarming manner. I tried to get to the bed, but a wave of nausea overcame me. I was on my hands and knees, vomiting on the floor. I knew I had to let someone know I was here and I was sick. I willed myself to crawl toward the phone, but the room was spinning now. I laid down on the floor for just a moment to refocus my energies. I didn't get up.

* * *

If you want to see a picture of Ana's outfit, check out my Facebook Page:  
www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters


	12. Chapter 12

"Miss Steele has landed," Taylor informed me once he was off his phone. "The New York operatives have sighted her, and are following her and Hyde to the hotel. Sawyer and Prescott are due to land in twenty minutes. The next flight to New York was to JFK, so they should be at the Sheraton within the hour."

It was just past 6:00 pm New York time. I'd been like a cat on a hot tin roof most of the flight, imagining my reunion with Ana. I hoped she'd be happy to see me. She hadn't been _too_ angry when I'd turned up in Savannah – although admittedly things had been different then. I knew I couldn't expect the same sort of greeting as _that_ visit, although I still hoped against hope that in a few hours time I'd be buried deep in the beautiful and beguiling Miss Steele.

I'd have to tell her that her trip was not SIP sanctioned, I realized. But how to do it? Would she be upset if I divulged the level of scrutiny she'd been under? But how could I explain it in any other way? Maybe I could claim her message had caused me to investigate – but there was no way she'd believe it. Miss Steele was as bright as she was beautiful; she'd know I wasn't giving her the truth.

With a sigh, I decided I'd have to tell Ana what I'd done. All of it.

But would that include the revelation I was falling in love with her? Since I'd unintentionally voiced it to Taylor, I'd been questioning myself more and more. Did I love Ana? Looking at it as rationally and dispassionately as I could, all the signs were there, the most compelling being my need to keep Ana safe. Had a sub been in danger like this, I would have arranged security to pick them up and brief them, but it's highly unlikely I'd have intervened myself. Yet here I was, for the second time, flying to unexpectedly meet up with Miss Steele in a hotel bar – both times hoping to convince her to stay with me. This time hoping she still loved me.

Taylor was going over the last of the security plans, including what would happen if I spent the night with Ana at The Sheraton. Unbelievably, the hotel was booked out, so in the event Ana asked me to stay, Taylor would return to the New York apartment with Sawyer and Prescott and meet up with me in the morning.

I was settling back into my seat when my phone pinged with an incoming message. It was from Ana!

 _Landed safely and am at the hotel in New York. Hope to hear from you soon. I miss you so much, Ana_

Attached were two photos of a fairly generic mid-range New York hotel room, with a city skyline view from the window. I growled softly. My girl shouldn't be subjected to miniature toiletries and hotel sheets. She deserved to sleep in a room where the sheets cost more than most people earned in a week. I wanted my girl to fall asleep surrounded by my arms, and the hundreds of roses I'd ordered the master bedroom, and the premier guest room at my New York apartment to be stocked with.

I re-read Ana's message, realizing with a start that with all the confusion of our expeditious exit from Taipei and security plans, I'd never responded to Ana's text telling me she was bound for New York. I was now only a couple of hours from being by her side, but I didn't want her to wait any longer, so I took fifteen minutes to devise a suitably vague message. It was hard because I wanted to let her know I knew where she was, reassure her I wasn't angry, and to remind her I cared – but at the same time I didn't want to tip her off I was on my way.

 _New York sounds like a great opportunity. I am missing you more than I ever knew was possible. I can't wait until we see each other. Your Christian._

Would she understand the subtext of me signing off 'your'? Would she know how much it scared me to type those four letters? But I sent them off regardless, and almost at the same time as I pressed send, Taylor's phone pinged. He inspected it immediately.

"Sir? Our New York representatives have Miss Steele and Hyde in sight. As anticipated, they're at the book fair drinks at the hotel."

Taylor passed me his phone, and sure enough, Ana and Hyde were in a bar. Hyde had a Heineken; Ana was looking less than impressed as Hyde presented her with something pink and fancy. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Ana was safe, and the way she was looking at Hyde was _nothing_ like the way she looked at me. I was in with a shot!

Only minutes after Ana and Hyde arrived at the bar, Taylor took a call from Sawyer announcing he and Prescott were on route to the hotel. Sawyer had a device provided by Barney that guaranteed immediate access to any hotel room using an electronic key pass system. I raised an eyebrow as Taylor explained this to me.

"We have a blocking chip we place on the lock for rooms occupied by yourself when you're traveling," he reassured me. "Only the hotel issued key, or an override key held by myself and the deputy CPO can access your rooms. It's the same when Ms. Bailey or other high-ranking executives from GEH travel."

I nodded. I knew my security team was second to none. The same with Ros'. Still, it alarmed me to learn that such devices existed.

Taylor continued to get updates from the New York team every fifteen minutes; the angle and numbers from which the images arrived suggesting the local eyes and ears were alternating their reports. The place was packed, and the operatives were apparently trying to be discreet, so the picture angles weren't always the best, but it was reassuring to see Ana in public, engaged in conversation, and even occasionally smiling.

That fucker had his hand on Ana's back in one of the images, and it made me want to rip his face off. But provided that's as far as it went, I'd settle for having him fired and making sure he never worked within a two-state radius of Ana ever again. I was almost counting down the minutes for us to land when there was a message over the plane's public address system. We would be delayed landing due to congestion at LaGuardia.

"Find out what's going on," I growled at Taylor. I was hanging on by a thread, and I knew if I made the inquiries I'd most likely lose it.

"Fog at another airport delayed takeoff which is having a flow-on effect," Taylor outlined with a sympathetic shrug when he returned from talking to a stewardess who had seemed all too pleased to have a conversation with my tall, rugged companion.

"How long?"

"Forty-five minutes. An hour at the outside."

I growled in frustration. It was just after eight, and we were circling New York, waiting for someone to decide we deserved to land. _She's safe,_ I kept reminding myself. I had five people on the ground keeping an eye on Ana. _Nothing_ was going to happen to her. Taylor's phone rang again. I listened in frustration to his half of the conversation.

"Hyde's room has been checked. Nothing significant was found other than three boxes of condoms." Taylor couldn't even meet my eyes as he delivered that information. Hyde had been planning to have sex and a hell of a lot of it. I couldn't wait till the fucker saw me walk in and approach Ana. I wasn't arrogant enough to assume everyone knew who I was by sight, but working in Seattle, there was a good chance Hyde knew my name if not my face. And I was going to leave no doubts about who Ana belonged with. Provided she let me.

I didn't have it in me to suppress my relieved groan when moments after 9:00 pm an attendant announced our imminent arrival at LaGuardia. Taylor used his last moments of cell connectivity before our descent to alert a car to be on standby for our arrival. As first-class passengers, with only carry on luggage, we should be able to exit customs and be on our way quickly.

"We're not far now, sir," Taylor said in a display of understanding. He could read my tension. Hell – the guy had been with me twenty-four seven for what were probably the worst two weeks since I'd employed him five years ago. I'm sure he wanted me to see Ana as much as I did! I almost fist-pumped the air when the plane's tires kissed the runway at LaGuardia. Sure enough, we were first to disembark, and were all but waved through customs with a cursory glance at our passports. It was 9:35 New York time, and Taylor and I had just seated ourselves in the town car when his phone rang.

"Taylor," he announced brusquely.

He was looking at me with widening eyes as he listened, interjecting after a moment.

"Where is she now? What about _him?!"_

He listened again, and I could see Taylor's body stiffen with tension. Something big had gone down. He'd said _she,_ and I could only hope it was Leila. So my heart almost stopped with his next words.

"Stay with her, Sawyer. Prescott, too! I don't want her out of your sight! I want updates every five minutes or if anything changes."

Taylor disconnected and swallowed nervously before looking at my face.

"Hyde put Rohypnol in Miss Steele's drink. She was fine before she drank her wine, but was staggering when Hyde helped her to the lift a few minutes later. Security was unable to follow in the same elevator car, but they arrived moments later on the thirtieth floor where Miss Steele and Hyde have their rooms. Hyde must have attempted something because he was on his knees in the hallway nursing his nuts. Miss Steele had managed to get away from him and to her room. Sawyer and Prescott were waiting on level thirty-one, so came down immediately. Sawyer let himself into Miss Steele's room and discovered her passed out on the floor, unable to be revived. Miss Steele is unconscious in an ambulance on route to Mount Sinai West as we speak. Sawyer and Prescott are with her. She is stable, and as you heard, I have ordered Sawyer and Prescott to stay with her at all times."

" _How the fuck did this happen?"_ I exploded. Five fucking CPOs, yet Hyde still got close enough that Ana had had to defend herself! She should never have been in a situation where that was necessary! And now she was fucking unconscious. What if there was permanent damage? What if she died because of that asshole?

"Call ahead! Offer the hospital whatever you have to. Ana is to get the best possible treatment. I want a private room and the very best doctor to attend to her! I don't care how much it costs - just do it!"

Taylor nodded, ordering the driver to divert to Mount Sinai West Hospital before pulling out his phone again. The conversation seemed to take forever, and meanwhile, we were inching through New York traffic. Why the hell was it so busy on a Friday night?! Once Taylor had made the arrangements for Ana, and I'd offered the driver a grand in cash to get us to the hospital as quickly as possible, my mind turned to other matters.

"Where's Hyde?" I growled.

"He's still at the hotel with some officers of the New York Police Department. He was found with Rohypnol tablets on his person. Our New York people are helping the police with their inquiries. Hyde is being questioned, but I believe he also needs to be transported to a hospital. It appears Miss Steele might have ruptured one of his testicles."

Taylor and I both cringed, but I was proud of my girl for having it in her to do it. Not that she should have had to.

"Keep security on him," I barked. "Find out who's handling his case and make sure they understand my interest. Keep me updated!"

True to his word, Sawyer was ringing Taylor at five-minute intervals, updating us on Ana. They had arrived at the hospital, and thanks to Taylor calling ahead and a hefty pre-charge on my credit card, she was immediately triaged. According to Sawyer, the doctor in charge of Ana's case said the fact she'd vomited was a good thing. She was still unconscious, but thanks to the identification of Rohypnol as the drug she'd been given, a drip of Flumazenil was being administered, and she was about to be moved to a private room with a dedicated nurse to watch over her.

"They said she was lucky to get there so fast," Taylor relayed. "Between Miss Steele vomiting, and now the drip, they're hoping to reduce the effects of the drug. She's still unconscious, but they don't believe there will be any long-term effects, and they're anticipating she'll be awake soon."

Taylor again on his phone, I looked bleakly out the window, thinking of all the people I needed to call. Roach to have that fucker fired. Ray to let him know about Ana. Ros to let her know I was in New York. But before any of that, I needed to see my girl.

I nodded, turning away so Taylor couldn't see my face. I was going to ruin Hyde. No one hurt the woman I loved and got away with it. And if Ana had suffered any permanent injury, I'd kill him.


	13. Chapter 13

There's noise all around me, but I feel as if I am submerged underwater. Everything echoes, and has a slightly unreal sound about it. I'm almost there, and then I am not. Something is tugging at the back of my mind. Something very important I know I have forgotten. But I don't feel well, and it's too much to force my mind to focus its attention, so I let it go. I fall back to sleep again.

It could be minutes or hours later when I next hear voices, as well as an incessant electronic beeping. I feel queasy. Waves of nausea are washing over me. I still have the feeling I've forgotten something, so with a struggle, I open my eyes. And I have no idea where I am.

I am in a large room. More like a few rooms joined together. The bed I'm on is a hospital bed, but the rest of the room looks more like an older style hotel suite. Large and functional, but a little run down. I look around curiously, noticing there's a drip in my arm and something on my index finger. There are people in the room, but none of them are paying attention to me just now.

I should be alarmed, but instead, I'm almost amused. I must be hallucinating. There in front of me is the African American lady who sometimes catches the same bus to work as me. Statuesque and athletically built, she would always wear a tailored pants suit and would get on at the stop two-hundred yards after mine. I remembered her because despite her almost masculine close-cropped hair and toned physique, she would spend some of her time on the bus applying bright, colorful lipstick. It looked good on her. She was standing talking to Mr. Military from the café near work, who was looking agitated.

"This is such a clusterfuck," I overheard him saying. "We'll have to keep her here… she can't be moved… He's going to go thermonuclear…"

There was someone else in the room with their back to me, but I had no idea who it was. Which brought me back to the fact I had no idea _where_ I was.

It didn't seem like I was still dreaming, but as I searched my memory, the last thing I could distinctly remember was being at work at SIP on Thursday. Thinking about SIP, that urgent feeling returned to me. I could feel adrenaline flooding my body as every cell within me screamed something was wrong; that I needed to get out of here _now_ to save myself.

I was looking at the drip in my hand, trying to work out how I could detach it and make my way out of here. I sat up in the bed a little, only to discover I was wearing a thin white cotton hospital gown and that other than panties I was naked beneath it. My shifting must have alerted my captors because Mr. Military turned to look at me. His gaze intense and searing, he took a step forward, as did Ms. Bright Lipstick. I sat up quickly, noticing a nurse in the room.

"Help me!" I screamed. "My name is Anastasia Steele, and they've kidnapped me! I don't know where I am! I didn't consent to this," I indicated, pointing to the drip and then gesturing around the room.

I was trying to get out of the bed as Military and Lipstick approached.

"Don't let them near me! They're holding me against my will!" I shrieked, clambering out of the hospital cot and putting it between them and me.

Lipstick and Military stepped back watching me, but the nurse came closer. She's in her early fifties and looks friendly enough, although right now, I'm highly suspicious of everyone.

"Where am I and why am I here?" I demand, looking around the room and cursing its single entrance. The entrance Lipstick and Military were standing in front of, effectively blocking it.

"Calm down, Miss Steele. You're in Mount Sinai West."

"I'm in _Egypt?"_ I shriek, my mental geography kicking in as my eyes looked around in terror. I'd obviously been abducted – but why bring me to _Egypt?!_ What the hell did these people _want_ from me?

"You're in New York, Miss Steele. Mount Sinai West _Hospital."_

She tried to take a step toward me, but I was still uncertain.

"Don't come near me! Don't _anyone_ come near me! I don't know why I'm in New York! Why am I here? I want to leave… Right now!"

I was bellowing. The nurse was backing off hands raised in a placating gesture.

"I'll get the doctor," she murmured to Military and Lipstick before leaving the room - as if they had some responsibility or dominion over my care. To be honest, the idea of that frightened me even more! Why were two strangers from Seattle here with me in New York in a 'hospital' that didn't look like a hospital?!

My legs were shaking, and I was seconds away from ripping the drip out of my hand and trying my best to get out of there when I heard panicked shouting outside in the hallway.

"Where is she?! Ana? Ana baby, I'm here!"

Seconds later Christian burst through the doorway, his bodyguard Taylor following in his wake.

"Christian?" I asked, my voice shaking in relief.

"I'm here, baby," he said soothingly, walking around the bed and catching me as my shaky legs finally gave way. "I'm here, and you're safe. Nothing's going to happen to you now."

"They abducted me," I said urgently, gesturing to Military and Lipstick as Christian gently held me in his arms. "They say I'm in New York?"

"Shh… You're safe now, Ana. You're safe, and I'm here. Let's get you back into bed, and I'll explain everything."

At a word from Taylor, Lipstick and Military left the room. Christian placed me back on the bed.

"Don't leave me," I begged, clutching the front of his shirt desperately.

"I won't, baby. I promise," he said, slipping one arm out of his suit jacket and then the other, letting it fall uselessly to the floor beside the bed. He picked me up again, climbing onto the bed beside me, positioning me to one side but resting me on his chest. Without thinking I raised one of my hands and rested it on his heart. He gave me a beatific smile and placed his hand on top of mine, tangling our fingers before leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Christian asked.

"I was at work on Thursday. They say I am in New York? Is that true?"

"It is. You flew to New York this morning with Jack Hyde. Do you remember that?"

I stopped to think. Now Christian mentioned it, I could recall the spare plane ticket and my trip to New York. I nodded.

"I messaged to tell you," I said cautiously.

"You did," he acknowledged with a sweet smile. "When I got your message, I asked my people to do some digging. When they did, they discovered some alarming information. Hyde booked and paid for your ticket with his own money. There was no record in the SIP system of you going to New York. I was also concerned that the longest any of Hyde's assistants lasted was three months. They'd all leave with no notice for personal reasons."

As Christian spoke, it started coming back to me.

"He kissed me! In the lift. I was feeling so sick, and he forced himself on me. It was awful. I couldn't get away from him, so when the lift doors opened, I pushed him away from me and ran. He chased me down the corridor and grabbed me. I couldn't get away, so I kicked him between the legs."

"Good girl," Christian said proudly, pulling me closer to him and dropping another sweet kiss on my forehead.

"I can't remember anything after that?"

"He drugged you. Rohypnol. We believe it was in your wine. You got away from him but collapsed in your hotel room. You were unconscious, so they brought you here. The drip is the antidote."

"So how are you here?" I asked. My brain was still foggy, but something wasn't adding up.

"When I got your message I knew I couldn't wait to see you, so I flew here to meet you. I was en route when I learned it wasn't a SIP funded trip, and I started to panic."

What he said make sense. I was starting to calm down when Lipstick walked in front of the door in the corridor. I immediately tensed again.

"Who is she? And the other one?" I asked, starting to panic again.

"Please don't be angry," Christian begged softly. "After _that_ weekend I was beside myself. From the moment you left, I went into free fall. I was so worried about you, and there's another situation I'll tell you about later that concerned me. I just needed you safe, baby. So I assigned you personal protection."

He looked up at Taylor who was standing near the door pretending not to hear what Christian was telling me. But as soon as Christian looked at him, Taylor's eyes met his, and at a nod he walked into the corridor, returning in seconds with Military and Lipstick. Speaking for the first time, Taylor introduced me.

"Miss Steele, this is Luke Sawyer and Belinda Prescott. They were assigned as your primary protection in Seattle. When Mr. Grey learned you were traveling to New York under potentially dangerous circumstances, they were tasked to follow you to ensure your protection."

I must have looked confused because Taylor continued.

"Sawyer and Prescott work for Mr. Grey. They were never to interfere in what you were doing – just to be an extra set of eyes to make sure you were safe."

"Yet under their watch, I was drugged," I commented dryly.

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am," Prescott aka Lipstick responded, her chagrin genuine. "We were waiting the next floor up when Hyde brought you upstairs. The other team followed you from the lounge, and we came straight down. Sawyer accessed your room and discovered you unconscious. Together we brought you here."

"The _other_ team?!" I demanded, sitting up and moving away from Christian slightly. "Just how many people were assigned to me?!"

Taylor glanced at Christian who suddenly looked nervous. But nonetheless, he nodded his head.

"Miss Steele – once we learned Hyde had paid for your ticket himself and had only booked a single night's accommodation for you at the hotel, we decided extra protection was needed. Three operatives tailed you from LaGuardia to the hotel and then to drinks. We knew you might recognize Sawyer or Prescott, so they were waiting upstairs while the local team was watching you."

I turned to face Christian.

"So you knew I was walking into a dangerous situation and did _nothing_ to warn me?" I hissed, trying to move further from him on the narrow hospital bed. "How could you do that to me?"

"I'm _sorry!"_ Christian groaned, grasping my hand and refusing to let go. "I didn't know what Hyde had planned! All I knew is I hadn't seen you in two weeks, and I didn't know how things stood between us. You were going to New York, and I was worried about Hyde's intentions! I didn't want to ruin an amazing opportunity for you, but I was scared something could happen! I didn't know _what_ to do, Ana. I just needed you safe, so I had security observing you."

"But I _wasn't_ safe. Jack attacked me!"

From the corner of my eye, I could see Lipstick and Military, or Prescott and Sawyer as I now knew them to be, disappear out the doorway after a nod from Taylor.

"I'm sorry, and believe me; Hyde's going to pay! I couldn't protect you without telling you what I'd learned, but then I'd have to tell you I'd had you under surveillance and I didn't know how you'd feel about that. I didn't expect Hyde to _drug_ you! I thought he might try something, but I was trying to get here to meet you at the bar so we could work things out between us."

I was confused. I was tired, still feeling sick, and now I was feeling ambushed.

"Christian? What's going on? We haven't seen each other in weeks, but you show up in a hospital I'm never going to be able to afford to tell me all this. Why are you here?"

I could see the torment on his face. The fear, then a terrified resolution.

"I'm here because I _love_ you, Ana. I'm in love with you, and I needed to come here to tell you. I need you in my life. I need you to be safe."


	14. Chapter 14

I smiled looking at the beautiful Miss Steele who was curled up sleeping with her head on my chest. She'd listened to my professions of love, accepted a small kiss, told me she was glad I was there, that we'd discuss everything later, and then fallen asleep on me. _Not_ the reaction I'd been hoping for when I'd told her I loved her! But she'd made it clear she wanted me there, and after being so alarmed thinking she'd been abducted, I knew it was significant that I made Ana feel safe enough that she gave in to the healing sleep she needed.

Ana had only been asleep a few minutes when the nurse returned with her doctor. I outlined how she'd experienced some confusion about the events leading to her admission, but that the particulars were now coming back to her. The doctor explained that, and her sleepiness, were normal.

"How long will she have to stay here for?" I asked. While the suite here was streets ahead of a typical hospital room, it wasn't home, and that's where I wanted Ana to be right now.

"She'll have to stay tonight, but provided all is well, we should be able to discharge her first thing tomorrow. Although she'll need someone to keep an eye on her the next few days," he warned.

"I won't be letting her out of my sight," I vowed, hoping Ana would let me keep my promise.

Once the doctor left, I shimmied out from beneath my girl, carefully settling her back onto the bed. Ray needed to know what was going on, and Roach was going to hear about this, too. I decided to make the easier call first. Roach.

Leaving Taylor to keep watch over Ana, I went down the hallway to a small meeting room. Closing the door, I pulled out my phone, reaching Roach and furiously outlining the situation along with my demands. At first, Roach seemed disinclined to get rid of Hyde – but once I explained the severity of the situation, and mentioned my personal interest in Ana's safety – he agreed there were grounds for immediate dismissal.

That dealt with, I rang Ray. As expected, Ray was almost apoplectic, and was all for getting on the first airplane and flying across to take care of Hyde personally. Like me, he was extraordinarily proud that Ana had successfully defended herself, but outraged that she'd had to. I didn't go into details about it not being a SIP funded trip. I'd leave it up to Ana to decide how much she wanted to tell her father about that aspect of things.

"Whereabouts is she? Will her insurance cover the hospital?" he asked.

"She's in a private suite at the Mount Sinai West Hospital. All her expenses have already been covered, and I have appointed Belinda Prescott, a female member of my security team, as close personal protection to stay with Ana. She won't be left alone or unattended at any time," I reassured Ray, neglecting to mention that I also intended to spend the night sleeping in the hospital suite with his daughter.

"Have you and Annie had a chance to sort things out between you?" he asked.

"Not yet," I admitted. "We've been emailing and messaging, but because of my trip to Taipei and her trip here, we haven't had a chance to talk face to face. I was flying to New York to surprise her, then all this happened. She's sleepy and confused from the drugs Hyde gave her, so I just let her know I'm here and that she's safe. She seemed happy to see me; said we would talk later, then she fell asleep on my chest."

Ray chuckled. "She always could fall asleep just about anywhere."

"The doctor thinks she'll be released tomorrow morning. She'll need to make a statement to the police, but once that's done, I'll see whether she wants to go home to Seattle or if she wants to spend a few days in New York."

"I should probably fly over," Ray mused.

I did some fast talking, suggesting that he defer making any arrangements until he'd spoken to Ana. If she wanted Ray here, I'd have the GEH plane bring him straight away. But I was hoping for a little alone time with Ana to talk things through, and her father being in attendance didn't bode well for that sort of discussion.

"I'll get her to call you as soon as she's awake," I promised. "No matter what the time."

"I'm glad you were there, Christian. I shudder to think what might have happened if you weren't."

* * *

I woke to find Ana's head resting on me again, her small hand stroking my chest. Noticing me stirring, she quickly withdrew her hand.

"Don't stop," I said softly, grabbing her hand and putting it back over my heart. "I like how it feels when you touch me." And I did. For years I'd avoided anyone touching my back or chest, but Ana's gentle touch there felt amazing. Rather than frightening, it was soothing, and I found myself looking forward to seeing if her hand on my bare chest would feel as good.

"How are you feeling?" I checked.

"A lot better," she replied with a smile, nuzzling closer as I cradled her in my arms.

Ana had woken a few hours ago when the drip was disconnected. She'd used the toilet, called Ray and convinced him not to fly across to New York; then she'd returned to her bed, telling me in no uncertain terms she wanted me to share it with her. Now it was almost 6:00 am, and we were waking up together.

"You'll probably be discharged in a few hours," I said softly. "You'll have to make a police statement, but after that, we can do anything you want."

"Do I have to go back to the hotel?" she asked, looking fearful.

"No, baby. All your things have been packed up and moved across to my apartment. I thought maybe we could breakfast there and then work out what you wanted to do? I can take you home to Seattle today, or we can stay and enjoy New York for a few days if you'd like?"

"It's not like I have a job to go back to," Ana said sadly.

"Of course you have a job," I said firmly. "Hyde's the one who's unemployed."

"They don't need an assistant if there's not an editor," she argued.

"Ana – you could probably sue SIP for thousands over this. Believe me – if you want a job there, you have it. Besides, I spoke with Roach while you were sleeping last night, and he assured me your position at SIP is secure and urged you to take a few days off to recover."

"Then let's go to your apartment. We need to talk," she said, squeezing my hand.

Two hours later I was helping Ana into the back of a black SUV. She'd passed her morning health checks with flying colors, so was released into my care.

"Good morning Miss Steele," Taylor said with a bright smile, pulling out into the New York traffic. Twenty minutes later we were entering the garage of my apartment. Overlooking Central Park, the apartment was probably a third the size of Escala, but it was still significant by New York standards. It's probably fortuitous Taylor accompanied Ana and me up in the lift because that inescapable pull was still there.

"This view is sensational," Ana gasped when we stepped inside.

I looked out the windows, and it was like seeing the view for the first time. It _was_ pretty special.

"Then you'll enjoy the view from your room," I said, guiding her through the apartment to the guest room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the park, currently kitted out with numerous roses.

"Oh Christian!" Ana said, throwing her arms around my neck. "It's beautiful. _They're_ beautiful," she cooed, gesturing to the flowers. "But you didn't want me to share your room?" she asked sounding a little disappointed.

"I didn't want to assume," I explained, pulling her tight against me. I paused before plunging in, boots and all. "I meant what I said last night, Ana. I've fallen in love with you. I want this to work."

"I want this to work, too," she said, tilting her head so my lips could meet hers.

The two of us stood kissing, weeks of uncertainty and hurt washing away as we were finally together again. The bed was right beside us, and it was so tempting to pull Ana onto it and show her just how much I'd missed her. However we needed to talk, first, so I reluctantly pulled Ana out of the guest room to give her the grand tour.

"Mrs. Cortez," I greeted my New York housekeeper as we passed through the kitchen area. "This is my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele. Ana baby? This is Maria Cortez. She keeps the apartment here as Mrs. Jones does at home."

Maria gave Ana and me a nervous smile.

"Mr. Grey. Miss Steele. I'll have your breakfast ready in a moment. Is there anything, in particular, you'd like?" The question was mostly directed at Ana, as I habitually had an omelet for breakfast.

"Anything is fine," Ana said shyly. "I'll eat whatever you're cooking."

"Nonsense," I replied. "Mrs. Cortez will cook whatever you want. Would you like an omelet? Or a cooked breakfast? Maybe pancakes with bacon?" Ana's eyes lit up at the last suggestion, and it was hard not to laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Let's make that two serves of pancakes and bacon, with fruit and some juices please Mrs. Cortez. Also a black coffee and an English Breakfast tea, bag out," I ordered.

"Certainly sir," Maria replied. "It's a lovely day – would you like to eat on the terrace?"

"That sounds perfect. I'll just show Ana the rest of the apartment. After breakfast, please move Miss Steele's belongings from the guest room to my room," I ordered, with a grin the size of the Empire State building. Holding Ana's hand firmly in mine, I showed her around.

"And this," I said at the end of the tour opening the doors to the master with a flourish, "is our room."

" _Our_ room. I like the sound of that… So no sub's room in New York?"

"I think we have established that you are _not_ a sub," I said, my lips twitching. "You're my girlfriend, Anastasia. I want you to share my bed. Here and in Seattle."

"But you have needs…"

"And so do you, Miss Steele. First of which is breakfast," I answered leading her to the beautifully set table on my sheltered terrace overlooking the park. One of the things that initially appealed about this apartment, despite several visits here over the years, today was the first day I'd actually _used_ it, I thought as I held Ana's chair out for her. Sitting opposite her, side on to the view, Ana gazed at Central Park while I stared at her.

"I should never have asked you how bad it got." Her gaze had returned to mine, and she was looking at me with those endless blue eyes. Eyes I wanted to lose myself in.

"I should have never agreed to show you."

"I love you, Christian. But I don't want you to do that to me again. Ever."

I grimaced. Even the idea of hurting her like that again made me feel sick to my stomach.

"I don't want that, either."

"But you _need_ that."

I shook my head vehemently, running my hands through my hair. "I need you more, Ana." She started to interrupt, but I held up my hand to stop her.

"You leaving me was a wake-up call. Before, with the subs, the scenes and my contract with them was a way to avoid touch and intimacy. I didn't want them to share my life or my bed. The rules were all there to protect me. But now? I want your touch, Ana. I welcome it! I _like it_ when you call me during the day or when you curl up with me in the middle of the night. I don't want rules anymore."

"No rules at all?"

"None," I said adamantly. "I've spoken with Flynn, and he suggested we negotiate our own terms of reference. Things we both want and commit to in our relationship."

"You've spoken to Flynn about me?" she asked, her eyebrows lifting.

"Incessantly," I laughed, grasping her hand across the table. "I've been calling him at least once a day since you left."

"What did you talk about," she asked curiously, dipping her tea bag in hot water then setting it aside.

"We talked about what I want, and what I need to do to get there. I want more, Ana. More with you. Flynn helped me see that I can't use a set of rules designed to keep people away if my goal is to get closer to you."

I could see Ana turning my words in her head.

"I'm always going to be protective. I'll want you to have security, the safest car, and I'll probably always worry whether you're eating enough. I'll want to spoil you and buy you the finest things – not because you want them, but because it makes me happy to give them to you."

"But no punishments?" she asked.

"Punishments?"

"I hate living, waiting to cross some arbitrary line, and then you go all cold on me, or punish me."

"Like with the belt?"

She nodded, her blue eyes dropping to the table.

"Anastasia, I can promise you I will never use the belt on you again. In fact, I will have the whole playroom dismantled."

Her eyes shot up to mine.

"Do you have to?"

I regarded her with confusion. Isn't that what she was telling me that she wanted?

"I like _some_ of it," she whispered, an adorable blush coloring her face.

I smiled triumphantly. "Tell me what you like," I coaxed, dipping my head to look her in the eye.

"I didn't mind the spanking with your hand. And the Thomas Tallis."

"So you don't mind playing?"

"I like playing," she replied.

"And what about toys?"

She shrugged.

"I like the silver balls," she whispered, blushing again.

I laughed.

"I like the silver balls, too. So you like to play and have some kinky fuckery, but nothing that hurts and no punishments?"

Ana tipped her head to the side considering my words. "Yes. That's right."

"Then that's what we'll do," I reassured her.

A few of the fundamentals decided, I opened my arms and Ana climbed onto my lap. I reached over to pull her plate to my side of the table, and we finished our breakfasts.

"We still have a lot to talk about," she warned me. "I want to know more about the security you've had on me and why."

"I'll tell you everything, I promise," I replied soberly. I knew she'd be pissed, but hopefully, once she knew why security was so important, she'd agree to a CPO, or two, going forward.

"Ok. But not now. Right now, I want to go to bed."

"Are you still tired?"

"Not at all," Ana replied with a very cheeky grin.

* * *

To the guest who keeps pointing out my me/I errors thank you :) It is one of those areas I skipped in my primary education, so I am actively trying to address it now. I very much appreciate your efforts to point it out when I slip up - so many thanks for helping me to improve. I genuinely appreciate it :)


	15. Chapter 15

Christian's face, when I told him I wanted to go to bed and _not_ to sleep, was a picture. He looked so turned on, and I had to admit I was pretty damned eager, too. Kinky fuckery, he'd called it. Apt, really! All I knew is that I'd missed it, and I wanted some more of it as soon as possible.

I giggled when Christian lifted me up from where I was sitting on his lap, carrying me through the open doors to the patio through the living room, past the kitchen, and through the double doors into _our_ bedroom. There were roses in this room, too. I liked the feminine touch it added to an otherwise quite masculine space. All of Christian's spaces were quite masculine.

Christian dumped me in the middle of the bed, and I couldn't help giggling as he launched himself at me, deftly undoing the buttons on my shirt, revealing the lacy bra beneath. Taylor had brought fresh clothes to the hospital when he collected us this morning, and I was glad he'd brought my prettiest bra and panty set along with a shirt and a pair of pants. Pants Christian was busily trying to remove.

"I've missed you so much," he growled, undoing the button at my waist before pulling each pant leg down by the cuff. "I swear my balls are ready to explode!" he continued, pulling his shirt off and tossing it somewhere in the room, awkwardly hopping on one foot and then the other as he peeled his jeans off. Standing in front of me in just boxer briefs, I could see his impressive length straining against the fabric before he slid his briefs off, his long, thick cock springing free. I couldn't suppress a moan. He wasn't the only one who'd been suffering a lack of intimate satisfaction.

"God you look good," he said, kneeling between my legs, his eyes raking me in the cherry red bra and panty set Taylor had selected.

Starting at my knees, Christian ran his hands up my body, kissing in his fingers' wake. When he got to the juncture of my thighs, he kissed me through the scrap of fabric covering my core.

"They should fucking bottle this smell," he groaned, pushing the fabric of my panties to one side and burying his lips and nose in my already wet slit. I opened my legs as wide as I was able, giving him maximum access to my cunt, but it wasn't enough. Growling, Christian sat up and roughly wrenched my panties from me, flinging them unceremoniously to one side, where they ended up decorating a bouquet of roses like some sort of kinky mantilla.

"That's better," Christian murmured approvingly, using his hands to spread my folds open, licking me from my puckered rosette up to my swollen clit.

"I can't wait to fuck you here," he said, returning to tickle my asshole with his tongue. "I promise you it will feel good, and you'll love it."

I was squirming, embarrassed to admit how much I was enjoying Christian's tongue on my ass. While I'd never considered anal before, now the idea of Christian's cock there was strangely arousing.

Licking me asshole to clit again, and then again, Christian finally settled on my opening, penetrating me repeatedly with his tongue. Lying back on the bed, eyes closed, I could hear my breathy moans over the wet, smutty slurps as Christian pleasured me with his mouth. I speared his copper-colored hair with my fingers, running my fingernails across his scalp as I pulled his head closer to my pussy. It had been two weeks since I'd enjoyed his sexpertise – I wanted Christian as close as possible!

Moving up to lick my nub, Christian changed it up, introducing his fingers inside me, using them to fuck my dripping hole.

"You like that, don't you," Christian asked, looking up from my crotch as my moans became loud, needy wails. "Tell me how much you like it!"

"I love it," I growled out, as the pistoning of his fingers increased, bringing me closer to my nirvana.

"Tell me that you missed me," Christian demanded, sucking my swollen, needy nub into his mouth.

"I missed you! I missed you, so god damned much," I shouted to the ceiling, uncaring who might hear me.

"I missed you, too," Christian replied smugly, swirling his tongue around my clit before nipping it hard, forcing me to cum. He kept pulling his fingers in and out of my tightening twat, prolonging my orgasm and the resulting screams of pleasure. I'm sure everyone in the apartment heard Christian claiming me as his again, and I couldn't give a shit.

"Are you ready, baby?" he checked, pulling his mouth from my nether regions and climbing up my body, leaning down to kiss me, my cum spread across his face.

"Yes," I moaned, greedy for round two. I wasn't above begging if that's what it took.

"I want you to touch me," Christian said suddenly, "while I fuck you. When I get close, I want you to touch my back."

"Are you sure?" I whispered, aware of just what he was asking.

"Yes," he replied, looking nervous. "Just softly, please…"

I nodded. At that moment I fell even more deeply in love with the mercurial Christian Grey.

Rolling on top of me, Christian lined himself up, burying himself within me with one swift, violent thrust. I screamed as he stretched me, filling me absolutely. And it felt incredible!

"You're so tight after you cum," Christian hissed, one hand pressed into the mattress beside my pillow taking some of his weight.

"And _wet"_ I gasped, feeling how easily Christian's rock-hard cock slid in and out of my cunt, thanks to my natural lubrication. Not that it took much for Christian to make me wet. One panty-dropping smile, or lustful look, and I'd be dripping with want and expectation!

Further discussion was soon impossible as Christian's mouth met mine, ravishing and demanding as our tongues tangled. His thrusts between my legs were getting faster and harder, and I could feel I was on the brink of exploding beneath him. Knowing the time was right, I slid my hands up Christian's biceps, across his shoulders and then softly but with determination onto his bare, naked back.

Christian wrenched his mouth from mine, throwing his head back and shouting in what was ambiguously pleasure or pain.

"Anastasia!"

Every muscle tensed as his cock jettisoned his seed into me, flooding my cunt. Christian losing control caused me to do likewise, and half a second after his scream of release, I followed it with my own. Christian slumped on top of me, pushing me back into the mattress as we gave ourselves over to sensations we were sharing.

"Don't stop," he said in wonder as I ran my hands over his hairless back, letting my hands lovingly traverse the entire landscape. "It feels so good, Ana… You touching me feels like heaven!"

"Touching you feels like heaven," I replied, getting teary. Being able to hold Christian as we made love made the whole experience so much more intimate. Instead of two people we honestly became one.

"Don't cry, baby," he crooned, reassuring me.

"I'm not sad," I explained. "I love touching you. I'm just happy you've finally let me."

We cuddled, Christian rolling over and smiling in satisfaction as I ran my hands over his chest.

"Can I?" I asked, my lips poised above his heart. He nodded, with a shy smile, so I leaned in and placed a lingering kiss over his heart. "All mine," I declared possessively.

"My! A little bit of touching and you get all possessive. I'll have to remember that, Miss Steele!" he teased sweetly.

"No one touches what is mine," I growled fiercely, pouting my lips.

"I'd never let them," Christian promised, pulling my lips to his for round two.

* * *

"Mr. Grey," Taylor said, his face artlessly impassive as we stepped back out into the main unit just before lunch. It wasn't the way he looked at me that confirmed my suspicions that everyone had heard us fuck – it was the way he _didn't_ look at me. "The detectives working the Hyde case will be here in half an hour to question Miss Steele. They said it should not take long."

In the excitement of the last few hours, I'd almost forgotten the reason I was in New York. Jack Hyde.

"Should I get an attorney?" I asked Christian. I'd never been interviewed by the police before.

"I can call one of the ones we have on retainer here, if you'd like, or if you prefer, I can sit in on the interview with you? I'm sure my father would be happy to teleconference if you're worried?"

I'd forgotten that Carrick was a lawyer. I certainly didn't want him knowing anything about this, so I took Christian up on his offer to sit with me. I was starting to worry about the interview, so Christian used distraction to try and relax me.

"After your interview, how about we go out and see some of the New York sights? Is there anywhere you want to go?"

My eyes lit up like Christmas. "Do you think we could go to Strand Books? It's on the corner of Broadway and East Twelfth Street," I asked hopefully. I'd wanted to go there for as long as I could remember. "Only if it wouldn't be too boring for you?"

"I will _never_ get tired of seeing you happy, Anastasia. How about we have lunch at the Gramercy Tavern – it's on the way?"

"That sounds wonderful," I readily agreed, already imagining an afternoon poring over hundreds of wonderful books.

* * *

"I can't believe that fucker claims you wanted a dirty weekend with him and took the drugs yourself!"

I patted Christian's chest, letting him close his arms around me.

"No one believes him. Especially when you told them we'd arranged to meet in New York, and that unbeknownst to Jack, I had a security entourage watching my every move."

Christian shrugged as though the matter was closed, although I now knew Christian well enough to know the matter would not end here.

"No more thinking about him. I believe we have lunch to get to!" And like that, Mr. Mercurial was happy again, looking young and relaxed as he took my hand and led me to the elevator leading to the carpark.

"So, I want to know more about the security detail," I said over lunch. When Christian had suggested a tavern, I'd thought something relaxed and casual, but the Dining Room at the Gramercy Tavern turned out to be more formal than I'd expected. Yet somehow Christian managed to look flawlessly in place. At Christian's recommendation, we ordered the five-course tasting menu. Changing seasonally, today it was Marinated Scallops, Sea Bream, Rutabaga Tortellini, Duck Breast and Confit finishing with Caramel Pears. Christian said the accompanying wines were selected to complement the food perfectly, but since the doctor at my discharge had recommended a few days without alcohol, we paired our meal with sparkling water.

"I had a few operatives on you almost immediately. Not to spy," he asserted although I wasn't sure I entirely believed him, "just to make sure you were ok."

"Lipstick and Military," I muttered.

"What?"

"That's what I named them at the hospital before I was introduced."

Christian grinned. "I like it." He took a sip of his water.

"When I heard about the New York trip I was worried you'd place them, so for the bar, we had three local operatives. I had a copy of Hyde's schedule, and the idea was they'd just be watching you until I arrived."

"So that was it? Just Sawyer and Prescott in Seattle and the others here?"

"Not quite," Christian admitted, draining his water and not meeting my eyes. "There was another when you went to Portland to whatshisname's exhibition."

"His name is José, and you don't have to worry about him anymore because we're not speaking! He sold pictures he'd taken of me without permission to some art collector! Dad had to threaten the gallery with legal action if the sale went ahead!"

Christian's gray eyes met mine.

"The art collector was _me._ Our guy on the ground recognized your image from the security brief and rang Taylor. I didn't know he'd taken the images without your permission until after I'd bought them."

"You bought them?" I asked, surprised I hadn't thought about it earlier. After all, how many people could afford to drop ten grand each on pictures of some random girl?

"I did," he confirmed. "I bought the reproduction rights, too. I don't trust the fucker, but he takes decent photos," Christian grudgingly acknowledged.

"But they're huge! What would you possibly do with them?" I giggled, amazed.

"I thought I'd put them in my office at Escala. No one ever goes in there but Mrs. Jones, the security staff and me. You're beautiful, Ana, and looking at you relaxes me. I'd like to hang them there if you'd let me?"

"Let you?"

"Well, technically your father is right. You _could_ block the sale if you wanted to. But I figured this way I have the pictures, José has signed over his rights to make any copies, and the guy gets enough money to fund his final year at uni instead of fighting an expensive copyright battle he certainly won't win."

I considered it. José _had_ been a friend, and while I felt violated he'd taken then sold images of me without permission, I didn't want to ruin him for it.

"You really liked the pictures?" I checked.

"I loved them."

"You haven't even seen them in real life," I argued.

"I didn't have to. What I saw from the photo security took was enough. Let me keep them?" he asked with one of his most winsome smiles.

"Far be it for me to stand between a man and his right to spend seventy thousand dollars," I said wryly.

"A hundred," Christian corrected smugly. "Remember – I also bought the reproduction rights!"

Our meal finally over, Taylor and Sawyer drove us to The Strand bookshop. It boasted eighteen miles of books, and I intended to check out every single aisle!

"This has been my dream for as long as I can remember," I said, wrapping my arms around Christian as we stood on the pavement. Taylor must have been aware of Christian's touch issues because the usually unflappable guy gaped as he saw me stroke Christian's back as we embraced.

"That's my job now, Ana. I want to make every dream of yours come true."


	16. Chapter 16

Ana's face, when Taylor let us off on Broadway outside Strand Books, was nothing short of beautiful. Her cheeks flushed with excitement she literally threw herself at me, stunning Taylor as he noticed her freely touching me in my 'no go' areas. He raised his eyebrow questioningly, and I shrugged. I had no idea how Ana had achieved what numerous therapists and a string of submissives hadn't, but I wasn't about to question it. I was going to take my girl book shopping!

"There are _four floors_ of books!" Ana was chirping happily as she pulled me into the busy bookshop. Sawyer was following us at a discreet distance as Taylor faced the unenviable task of finding a park for the SUV. Meanwhile, Ana's grin stretched from ear to ear as she literally spun around in glee.

"What section do you want to see first?" I asked indulgently. I could see it was going to be a long afternoon, and I couldn't be happier.

"I think I'll just wander," she replied her eyes feasting on the many rows of shelves.

I grabbed a couple of wheeled baskets, shoving one into Sawyer's hand.

"I think we're on basket duty," I told him, moving to follow Ana who had walked straight to one of the shelves.

"I don't know if you've seen it, yet, but I have a whole library at Escala I need to fill. If you see it and want it, I want to buy it for you," I said softly, walking up behind my girl.

Ana turned to me and grinned. "You're going to regret saying that, Mr. Grey," she teased. "I might be a cheap date… _unless_ you take me to a bookshop!"

She actually made short work of the ground floor, explaining that it was largely new releases and things she could find elsewhere. It was the upper floors and basements that interested the literarily intrepid Miss Steele. She seemed to have a mental catalog of what she was after because soon the baskets held by Sawyer and myself were filling up. There appeared to be no rhyme nor reason to it; some were review copies from the basement, others dog-eared tomes from the upper floors. In fact, she seemed most excited by a paperback she located on an upper shelf, refusing even to hand it into a basket!

"I hope you two aren't too bored?" she asked as she was examining another long aisle of books.

"Not at all," I replied promptly. And I wasn't. I could spend all day watching Ana this happy. As for Sawyer, after his part in the fuck up that saw Ana drugged and attacked, I didn't give a shit how he felt about how we were spending the afternoon.

Finally declaring her first pass of the bookshop done, I was able to steer Ana to the place we'd so far assiduously avoided; the Rare Book Room. Dismissing Sawyer to the counter to start ringing up the first two baskets of books, Ana and I entered into the rarified interior which was the dwelling place of her linguistic Gods.

"This is where I bought your _Tess of the d'Urbervilles"_ I confessed, pulling her into an embrace.

"You ordered them?"

I nodded. I'd tasked a Seattle rare and antique book buyer to find me the best first editions available. It had been luck Strand had had the three volumes in stock.

"I thought we'd see if they have anything else tempting," I said, taking Ana across to meet one of the attendants. According to his nametag, he was Tony – one of the Rare Book Managers. I introduced myself, then Ana, identifying her as the recipient of the Hardy novels recently purchased.

"If you like Hardy, I have something you need to see," he replied amiably, leading us across to a locked case. "This came in a few days ago."

It was a two-volume, 1874 edition of Hardy's _Far From the Madding Crowd_ as published in The Cornhill Magazine. The first serialized version of the text.

"They're beautiful," Ana whispered in awe, her eyes lovingly caressing the maroon cloth.

"They are," Tony agreed, carefully extracting the volumes from the glass enclosure, donning soft cotton gloves and showing it to Ana. Twenty minutes later, I was still watching on as Tony gave Ana a guided tour, pointing out his numerous treasures. It was wonderful seeing Ana so in her element, and I could tell from the way she and Tony spoke they were kindred souls. In fact, while they were busy talking literature, I approached another attendant.

"I'd like to purchase the two _Far from the Madding Crowd_ volumes," I said quietly, so not to arouse Ana's suspicion.

"Sir? Do you know how much they are?" the young woman asked delicately.

"No. Enlighten me," I said, smirking just a little. She named a sum that seemed quite reasonable, all things considered.

"That's fine. I'd like it gift wrapped. And there's something else you can help me with…"

Ten minutes later the books were being prepared to ship. I handwrote and dated the card, slipping it into an envelope to be included with the wrapping.

"I'm sorry… You must be bored silly," Ana stated, rejoining me at the counter having finally finished her tour with Tony.

"Not at all, baby. Did you find anything you wanted to buy? I'd like to pick up something for our library."

"It's more a matter of what _don't_ I want to buy?!" Ana laughed, although she sounded a little wistful.

"You were lingering over there with a book for a while?" I mentioned.

"Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. The London Duckworth with the Knobel binding. This is Knobel's own copy – it has his bookplate to pastedown and ownership signature to the front endpaper," Tony supplied. He might as well be speaking Greek, for all it meant to me, but I couldn't miss the slight longing in Ana's eyes.

"We'll take it. Wrap it up," I said.

" _Christian!_ You don't even know how much it costs!"

"You wanted it. I want to buy it for you. I don't care what it costs," I explained.

"And what if I want the Eiffel Tower?!" she asked, rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips. I was out of my depth, here. I thought I was doing something sweet, but she looked annoyed. It wasn't a feeling I liked.

"I'm sure I could rent it for a day or two for you," I replied, only half joking.

"Christian! I am not into _stuff._ You can't just buy anything I look at twice!" she snapped. From the corner of my eye, I could see Sawyer stepping back slightly, giving us our space.

"I probably could," I countered, immediately recognizing it was a tactical error as Ana's eyes flashed dangerously. "Ana? Don't think about the money," I demanded. "I've had a wonderful day with the woman I love. I just want to buy a little memento for our library to remember today. I'd choose something myself, but this is _your_ area of expertise. If you think the Brontë is worth having, then I want to buy it."

"For your library?"

"For _our_ library," I corrected, knowing I had no use for the book, or the room if she weren't with me to enjoy it.

"Ok," she finally agreed, giving me a slightly annoyed smile.

Tony disappeared to complete the sale, and I pocketed one of his cards. Ana's thing was books, and he'd had a good discussion with her about what she liked. I'd call in the next day or two and ask him to keep an eye out for things she might enjoy.

"Good girl," I praised, pulling her into my arms for a sweet kiss. "I don't think I've read Wuthering Heights. Maybe when we get home you can read it to me?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow suggestively.

"Aren't you too old for bedtime stories, Mr. Grey?" Ana asked, pursing her lips but giving me a very sexy look.

"I'm up for anything in the bedroom as long as you're involved," I crooned, taking the opportunity of a moment alone for a not so innocent kiss.

Tony rejoined us, asking whether we'd prefer to take the books today or have them shipped.

"If you have them shipped to Seattle, there'll be a significant sales tax savings," he explained.

"Can we ship them, all except this?" Ana asked, showing him the falling apart paperback. "I'd like to read this one."

"Certainly, if you'll come to the front, we'll just confirm your details."

We joined Sawyer at the counter. At a pointed glance from me, he distracted Ana by asking her opinion on a book so I could hand over my credit card. With the Hardy and the Brontë, it had been a hell of a day's shopping, but I didn't care a whit. We had just finished up when Ana returned.

"Oh! You haven't rung up this," she said to Tony and the woman at the register, proffering the paperback.

Tony grinned at her. "You've bought a lot today," he laughed, pointing to four book boxes with my Escala address on top. "You can have that one on me!"

Taylor was waiting out the front with the SUV, alert as always as he held the rear door open for Ana and myself. He hadn't joined us in the bookstore.

"Taylor? What do you do when you're not with us?" Ana asked curiously once he'd slid into the driver's seat and was negotiating the New York traffic to get us back to the apartment.

I listened with interest. I often wondered the same thing myself.

"Today I checked in with the Seattle security team and Mrs. Jones to make sure all is well at home base; then I checked in with security and IT at GEH. Being Saturday, I also took the opportunity to ring my daughter. It's hard to reach her on a weekday with school and her extracurriculars, so I try to call or visit on a Saturday when I can."

"You don't see her often?" Ana asked, her words sweet rather than invasive.

"Not as often as I'd like," Taylor revealed, more candidly than he'd ever mentioned to me. "My ex-wife is a wonderful mother to her, but she's big on routine. I have to make an appointment if I want to see her." He didn't complain, but the subtext was clear. It was hard to make a time to see his daughter when his movements were so closely tied to my own.

Ana must have heard the words not spoken, too, because she gave my leg a gentle squeeze. And somehow, I knew when we got back to the apartment we'd be discussing Taylor's leave arrangements instead of celebrating the rather expensive books I'd just bought us.

"Would you like to dine out this evening, or have a meal at home?" I asked petulantly, unashamedly pouting. I know it was childish, but I was annoyed with Taylor for raining on my parade.

"Could we have an early dinner at home and maybe go out for dessert?" Ana asked hopefully. "I'd rather not share you with anyone quite yet," she added under her breath. And just like that, my mood improved immediately!

"Your wish is my command."

* * *

"Christian!" Ana screamed, falling spent on top of me. It was only the second time she'd been on top, and the first time she'd initiated it. And if I'd thought last time was a treat, this time – with her hands resting firmly on my bare chest the whole time to steady herself – was infinitely better.

Despite the relatively short notice, Mrs. Cortez had come up with the goods for an early dinner. Her gazpacho was the perfect starter, and the chicken breasts stuffed with artichoke, thyme and parmesan had proven a delicious main. After our meal, Ana and I slipped off to the master bedroom and enjoyed another intimate celebration.

After waiting for my woman's breath to settle, I asked, "Are you sleepy, baby, or are you up to dessert?"

It wasn't late - 8:00 pm - but Ana looked stunning spread naked across my sheets in the New York summer sun spilling through the windows. I'd happily give her round two, three and four – but I had to keep remembering all that had happened the day before.

"Dessert?" Ana asked curiously, perking up a little.

"Nowhere fancy," I assured her, taking her small smile as validation and standing up, finding a pair of sweats to pull on. "Come on," I cajoled, finding and pulling out some yoga pants and a shirt for her.

"Fine," she huffed, giving me a very sweet smile.

Twenty minutes later we were at Grom, a gelato restaurant just off St. Columbus Circle. We were part of a decidedly mixed crowd – people dressed to impress as well as people like us – chillaxed in sweats. Ordering a gelato, each, we walked across the road, stopping at a kiosk on the edge of Central Park.

"Your booking is here, sir," Prescott said, appearing beside me to talk before quietly slipping away again. We had Sawyer and Prescott with us tonight, Taylor having finally succumbed to too many hours awake and on duty.

I went up to the kiosk, ignoring Ana's inquisitive look.

"Two carriages under the name Grey," I stated, unsurprised when the attendant left the kiosk to lead us to two premium carriages already waiting nearby. On this, Taylor and I were of one accord. Nothing but the safest and the best.

"Just because we're doing a Central Park carriage ride, don't think I'm going to put out," I heard Prescott quietly joke to Sawyer as I helped a spellbound Ana into the premier carriage, security climbing into their own carriage which would follow ours.

"Gelato in a horse-drawn carriage at twilight in New York?" Ana gasped, her eyes meeting mine.

"I wanted something you'd never forget."

"Trust me, Christian. I will never forget this!"

"Neither will I," I murmured, flipping the travel blanket across her knees and pulling Ana tight beside me, ready for our sunset tour around the park.


	17. Chapter 17

Christian was dozing – his head resting on my naked breasts while I stroked his copper curls. We were lying in the bedroom of the GEH jet, on our way back to Seattle. I had to hand it to Christian – despite the horrible start, he'd turned the weekend into the best of my life. As well as Strand Bookstore and our twilight tour of Central Park we'd caught a show on Broadway, eaten at far too many excellent places, seen the Frick Collection and did the obligatory tour of the Statue of Liberty. And even with all that, we hadn't scratched the surface of all New York had to offer!

Still, it was Monday night, and all good things had to come to an end. Christian needed to return to work tomorrow, and I wanted a day to gather my thoughts before returning to SIP on Wednesday. This morning as we were on the harbor cruise looking up at the Statue of Liberty, Christian had nervously confessed that he was negotiating to buy SIP. To say I'd been furious was an understatement. He admitted he'd initially checked it out because of the connection with me, but then he explained he believed the company would fold in the next three years if they didn't start to diversify. And while I hated the idea of working for a business Christian owned, I hated the idea of SIP failing even more.

After guaranteeing me he would not be involved in any of the day to day running, even going so far as to promise he'd ask his second in command, Ros, to handle all the negotiations and interactions, I finally accepted that by the end of the week, Christian would probably be my boss.

On the car ride on the way to the airport, Christian had asked me to stay with him at Escala until Kate was back in Seattle. He said there was a second security situation he'd brief me on once we were home, that it was serious, and that he'd prefer I stay with him at Escala with security than alone in my apartment. Once we found out Hyde had been charged but released on bail with an order to appear at a hearing in several weeks' time, I'd happily agreed. Hyde could be anywhere, and since it turned out I had ruptured one of his testes, I was worried he might come after me.

While I'd agreed to return to Escala, a small part of me was dreading it. In New York, Christian had been so sweet and loving. The perfect boyfriend. I had to wonder how that would play out once Christian was back in his natural world of mergers, acquisitions and his castle in the sky where he liked to whip pale brunettes.

"You're not sleeping," Christian murmured after I tensed beneath him.

"Just thinking of all the things I have to do this week," I lied, only telling him half the truth. No matter how much I loved Christian, he still intimidated me at times – and I wasn't sure how to explain that this all felt like a fairy tale and that I was preparing myself for when the other shoe would inevitably drop.

"If you need help with anything, ask Mrs. Jones," he replied, lazily tilting his head to lap at my exposed nipples. They tightened instantly, and he chuckled, pulling one into his mouth and nipping it lightly.

* * *

"Good morning, beautiful!" Christian grinned, coming out of his bathroom. Our bathroom now, I suppose - at least until Kate was back.

"You're dressed? What time is it?" I asked, sitting up in bed and looking at the Seattle skyline dappled in morning sun. It had been late when we got in last night, Christian carrying me from the car through to our room.

"It's eight. I have a meeting at nine. I didn't want to leave without seeing you. Have breakfast with me?"

"Sure," I said, clambering out of bed and wrapping myself in the robe Christian handed me from his closet.

We walked into the great room hand in hand, stopping at the kitchen counter where Mrs. Jones had set two places.

"Egg white omelet Mr. Grey?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Jones," he replied.

"What can I get you, Miss Steele?" she asked her smile friendly and encouraging.

"Could I have a cup of tea?" I asked, still unused to having someone serve me.

"Anastasia," Christian warned, narrowing his eyes. "You need to eat breakfast. Tell Mrs. Jones what you'd like so she can prepare it."

I looked at Mrs. Jones apologetically. Put on the spot like that, I had no idea what I wanted.

"I could do a cooked breakfast, pancakes or scrambled eggs on toast? Or I've just made a batch of berry muffins if one of those appeals?" she offered.

"A muffin sounds perfect," I replied gratefully, giving her a nervous smile as she passed me my tea then a plate with a freshly baked, still warm muffin.

"Mrs. Jones? Miss Steele will be staying with me for a least a week. While I'm at work today, please show her around the apartment and make a list of anything she needs. I want her to feel completely at home here."

Our breakfast served, Mrs. Jones disappeared somewhere, leaving Christian and me to eat side by side.

"Do you know what time you'll be home tonight?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"I'll be home by six. Mrs. Jones usually serves dinner around seven. Please talk to her today about anything you do or don't like to eat. I mean it, Ana. I want you to consider this your home."

"I thought I might go to the apartment today to pick up some things?"

"That's fine. Please take Prescott and Sawyer with you. I know I haven't told you about the other security situation. I'll do so over dinner tonight. In the meantime, please be careful and no going out without security."

I nodded, wondering how I was going to fill my day.

Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Christian stood about ten seconds before Taylor entered the room.

"Sir," Taylor said.

"I'm ready to go," Christian announced. Leaning down, he brushed his lips against mine. "Laters, baby!"

I watched Christian stride to the elevator, Taylor beside him. Blowing Christian a kiss as the doors closed, I turned back to the kitchen, feeling rather alone.

"Have you had enough to eat, Miss Steele?" Mrs. Jones asked, reappearing in the kitchen and tidying Christian's dishes.

"Yes thank you. When Christian's not around, can you please call me Ana, Mrs. Jones?" I asked.

"Of course, Ana. And please call me Gail," she replied, taking my empty plate and cup. "How about I show you where everything is, and you can tell me what you like to eat?"

I trailed Gail around the apartment. It was quite a bit bigger than I had appreciated. The hallway was a long loop, so while we started at the opposite end, we ended up passing the door to the submissive's bedroom.

"Did you know any of Mr. Grey's former… friends?" I asked, unsure even what I wanted to know.

Gail nodded but didn't say anything more. I must have looked uncertain because she gave my hand a motherly squeeze. "He's very different with you."

"He told me he loves me," I confessed, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them. Somehow it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"I'm sure he does. Jason and I have never seen him like this with any of his other lady friends."

"Jason?"

"Jason Taylor," Gail explained. "We've both worked for Mr. Grey for years. Be patient with him, Ana. He's a good man and I can tell he cares for you very much."

The tour complete, Gail and I were back at the kitchen where she ran through how she structured her day, including all the practicalities such as how she organized the washing and where she kept her shopping list.

"If there's anything particular you like to eat, or would like me to cook, please let me know."

Gail excusing herself to start her duties, I walked back to the bedroom. Opening the door to Christian's closet, I was startled when I found one half of the closet taken up with the clothes that had previously graced the closet in the submissive's room. Feeling almost like I shouldn't be there, I flicked through the racks, trying to ignore the exorbitant prices on the many swing tags. Whoever had bought these had impeccable taste. Digging through the drawers, I found them well stocked with intimates in every imaginable style and color. Along with the shoes, handbags, scarves, and hats, there was everything a girl could imagine and more. Suddenly the idea of bringing any of my clothes here seemed ridiculous.

Since I wasn't working today, I spent half an hour trying on various things before settling on a pretty, feminine skirt; a fine weave knit top and a pair of wedges. Then carefully unpacking Kate's clothes from my New York bag, and doing likewise for Christian, I put everything in the hamper as Gail had directed.

Walking back out into the great room with my handbag, I wanted to go to my apartment to pick things up, but there was no one there. I was about to go exploring down the corridor where Gail had said the staff quarters and the security office was located when Prescott appeared.

"Miss Steele. Taylor said you'd like to go to your apartment today? Sawyer and I can take you there now."

"I'm happy to go by myself – I won't be long."

Prescott's lips pursed, puckering today's hot pink lipstick.

"I don't think Mr. Grey would like that, Ma'am. Please let us do our jobs."

There was still a certain degree of animosity between Sawyer, Prescott and me. I knew they'd only been doing their jobs, and that I could have died without their timely intervention in New York – but I didn't yet trust them, and the feeling was mutual.

Sawyer appeared and escorted Prescott and me to the lift to the basement. It wasn't until we stepped out of the elevator I realized I didn't have a car to drive. Was the red Audi still there? It hadn't occurred to me to ask Christian this morning. The Audi _was_ still there in its place, but Sawyer unlocked a larger black SUV, holding the rear door open for me. I was about to give him the address of my apartment when I appreciated how I had no need. Lipstick and Military knew exactly where I lived!

The trip to the Pike Market District was short, and in no time, Sawyer pulled into 'my' spot in the carpark. _Of course_ , he knew which spot was mine I thought, my subconscious raising an eyebrow.

"We'll take you up and check the apartment. Then we'll wait outside," Prescott explained, holding my door open for me. It was hot outside, and there were small beads of sweat on her flawless dark forehead. I handed Sawyer my keys, and he did a quick check inside, declaring the apartment clear.

"Please come inside and have a cold drink. It's hot out there," I offered.

Prescott looked at Sawyer who nodded.

"That would be mighty appreciated, Ma'am," Prescott replied, and for the first time, I noticed a slight Southern twang in her voice.

The three of us stepped inside, and I poured us each a glass of water. They waited in the lounge while I grabbed a bag and threw a few essentials into it. Mostly my small supply of cosmetics, a couple of books and some manuscripts from SIP I'd brought home to read. Finally, I pulled out my foil Charlie Tango, carefully putting it in the bag and zipping it up.

Back in the living room, I looked around, taking the time to water Kate's African Violet. Habitually neglected by her, I swear that thing would be dead ten times over if I didn't take care of it. I quickly checked the fridge, removing the out of code milk and a suspect looking cucumber. Bagging the trash and checking everything else was in place, I was turning to leave when I noticed the message light on the answering machine.

I had four messages; two from Jose begging me to call him, one from Kate and one from Ethan Kavanagh.

"Hey Ana, it's Ethan! I'm not sure if Kate told you, but I need to crash on your sofa for a few days? I'm coming to Seattle for an interview and possibly to stay. I'll be there Thursday. Text me your work address, and I'll come to pick up the keys."

I could see Sawyer tense a little as I jotted down the number, and while I shouldn't have to explain myself, I didn't want him or Prescott getting the wrong idea.

"Ethan Kavanagh – my flatmate's brother. Kate's parents own this apartment."

I picked up my bag, giving the apartment a final once over before following Sawyer out to the car, Prescott a few steps behind me. I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to having security, but if it made Christian feel better, I'd do it. Although I sincerely hoped they would not need to go into SIP with me!

"My turn to drive," Prescott said, snatching the keys from Sawyer's hand in a playful gesture. The two obviously got along well. Not in the 'I have a thing for you' sort of way – more like 'you're a pesky sibling.'

Sawyer rolled his eyes, opening the rear door for me to climb in before taking the front passenger seat.

"Driver gets to decide the music," Prescott teased, "unless you have a preference, Ma'am?" she quickly checked. I shook my head, smirking at Sawyer's pained expression. Prescott nodded at me with a smile.

"Sawyer here likes Elvis," she said, in a tone of voice that declared she certainly didn't. Thanks to Ray, I didn't mind a bit of The King, but Prescott's R and B selection was undoubtedly a bit more modern. I was actually busting my inner groove a little as we pulled into the garage at Escala. It was just before one, so I thought I'd have a bit of lunch then check out the library Christian had said he needed to stock; although it had looked suitably well-supplied when I'd seen it during my earlier tour with Gail.

We were driving along the row of cars closest to the lifts when we saw it. My little red Audi was completely trashed. Tires slashed, every panel dented, every window smashed, the exterior had also been doused in thick white paint. It must have only just happened, as the paint was still dripping. I couldn't believe my eyes. My beautiful car was ruined – and I'd only driven it three times!

"Miss Steele get _down,"_ Sawyer demanded, pulling out a firearm I didn't know he had. "Belinda – get her to T," he barked. Prescott slowed marginally as Sawyer basically jumped from the moving vehicle, slamming the door after him. As soon as he was clear, Lipstick sped up, racing toward the exit. Driving like a bat out of hell, frequently checking to make sure we were not being followed in the daytime Seattle traffic, in minutes we were pulling into the underground carpark of GEH.

I'd been fine on the way, but as soon as we were in the lift up to the twentieth floor, it all hit me. Someone had damaged my car. Not just damaged – they'd completely ruined it. The short lift ride seemed to take forever. I stood there shaking, feeling all alone as Prescott reported in on her phone, presumably to Taylor, explaining what had happened.

Suddenly we were in the white gleaming marble reception of Christian's work domain, one of his long leggy blondes regarding Prescott and me with surprise.

"Where's Christian?" I asked, tears pouring down my face. She pointed down a corridor. Prescott and I were halfway down when Christian emerged from a glass-walled meeting room followed by Taylor. He looked angrier than I'd ever seen him.

I threw myself into his arms, losing all semblance of self-control. As his arms grasped me firmly, and he pulled me to him, whispering words of reassurance and love, I could see fifteen or twenty people in the meeting room regarding us curiously.


	18. Chapter 18

"Baby!" I moaned, pulling Ana to me in relief.

Taylor's eyes had shot to mine seconds after he'd taken a call during my head of departments meeting. Even before he'd looked at me, I knew it was serious. Taylor had a series of different ringtones he employed with his team, and the one that had sounded was our equivalent of DEFCON 1. Answer immediately - no matter what.

A single gesture was all it took for me to abandon my meeting, charging out into the corridor where I found an almost hysterical Ana, followed by Prescott who was radiating tension from every pore.

Pulling Ana close to me, I kissed her forehead, lips and every other part of her face I could reach. We stood there, Ana sobbing against my chest, while Prescott was updating Taylor in a conversation of fast and furious whispers. I couldn't hear it all, but I heard enough to know something major had happened at Escala. Ana finally calming, at least a little, I looked up to see Ros standing at the doorway to the meeting room, the rest of my senior staff unabashedly gawking at me through the glass wall where I stood with my arms around a beautiful young woman. I guess those fuckers thought I was gay, too!

"Ros Bailey," she said, coming forward and smiling, calmly introducing herself to Ana who stood tucked under my arm. "I'm COO here. You must be Anastasia?"

"Ana," my girl corrected softly, giving Ros a tentative smile.

"There's been a security breach at Escala," I explained to Ros. "Take over and let me know anything I need to hear about."

That taken care of, I scooped Ana up into my arms, bringing her down the corridor through to reception. Olivia openly gaped as she witnessed me carrying Ana across to my office, whereas Andrea was ever professional. Spotting us, she strode ahead, opening my office doors for Ana and me to pass through.

"Andrea? This is my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele. She is to have full access here at any time. If she calls, put her through no matter what I'm doing. Right now, she'd like a cup of tea; Twinings English Breakfast, tea bag out," I ordered. "I'll have a coffee," I added, almost as an afterthought.

Andrea nodded, closing the double doors to my office. For the moment Taylor and Prescott were outside.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting on my sofa and cradling Ana in my lap.

"We went to my apartment to get some things. Sawyer drove Prescott and me in one of your SUVs. We weren't gone long, but when we got back, my Audi was wrecked. The windows and panels were smashed, and someone threw paint all over it," she sobbed.

My mind immediately went to Leila. A red Audi A3 parked in bay five. Would anyone else know what that meant? To who that must belong? Mentally cursing myself for not being more forward, more _honest_ with Ana earlier, I changed the subject.

"Have you eaten?!"

"No," she said, pale blue eyes looking at me nervously. I sighed loudly. The woman needed to take better care of herself!

"You need to eat, Ana!" I growled, angry at the situation, not her. Yet I could almost feel her deflate in my arms, subtly pulling away from me a little.

"We were going back to Escala for lunch," she explained timidly, and immediately I felt even _more_ like an asshole.

"Of course you were," I agreed, closing the distance between us again. "My meeting is over. How about I take you to lunch?"

She nodded in acquiesce, but there was no confidence in her eyes.

"Or we could order in? Most days I eat lunch here."

This time her nod was more genuine.

"What do you feel like?"

Ana shrugged and recognizing she was in shock and distressed, I decided for her. I knew she liked Chinese, so when Andrea walked in with a tray boasting tea, coffee and some biscuits I immediately announced we also needed lunch.

"I'd like serves of five or six popular dishes, plus mixed vegetables in oyster sauce, two extra-large fried rice and double serves of steamed dumplings, spring rolls, and prawn crackers." I knew it was enough to feed a mass, but I didn't care. Anything we didn't consume I'd send to one of the staff kitchens downstairs – so I knew it wouldn't go to waste. And more than anything, I wanted to tempt Ana and her capricious appetite.

Besides – I suspected there was a good chance Taylor would join us, soon. Potentially Prescott as well. I couldn't in all conscience let them stand there watching us eat. Also, I needed to tell Ana about the Leila situation, and it might be better to break the news in the presence of others; because I wasn't entirely sure how she'd take it.

A knock at the door heralded the anticipated entrance of Taylor and Prescott. I motioned them in, not moving Ana from my lap. I wasn't going to hide my love for Ana from anyone – but especially the people charged with guarding us. Besides, those who had been with us in New York already knew how I felt about Ana.

"There's been an attack on Miss Steele's Audi," Taylor said, proceeding to outline everything I already knew. His look intimated he believed it was Leila, my nod silently confirming I shared his suspicion.

"I don't think it was Jack. He never saw my Audi. But who else would want to do that?" Ana asked rhetorically, her voice forlorn. I was saved answering when Andrea appeared with lunch.

Spreading the feast across the table in my office, Andrea returned moments later with plates and utensils for four. I really must give her a raise, I fleetingly pondered. She'd seamlessly made it appear I'd always intended for Taylor and Prescott to join us, smoothing over a potentially awkward situation.

At a gesture from me, we all sat. Taylor was a little discomfited, unused to eating with me. Prescott, being newer, just followed Taylor's lead. We all served ourselves, and I was relieved to see Ana take a dumpling, spring roll, some fried rice, chicken, and vegetables. It wasn't a lot of each – but together it was enough. I followed suit, loading my plate, and for the next ten minutes, the four of us ate with only minimal conversation.

When we were all replete, and Ana looked a little less skittish, my eyes met Taylor's, silently announcing what I was about to reveal.

"Ana? Baby…" I took a deep breath before I continued. "You remember I said there was a second security situation? Well, I need to tell you about it. Now."

I paused, wondering how to divulge this.

"You know there's been other… women before you? _Not_ girlfriends, but... _friends?"_

Ana nodded and didn't immediately balk. Which, right now, could only be a good sign.

"Well, the longest of my… _former friends…_ has had a few things going on in her personal life. She's lived away for a few years, but she's returned to Seattle. At first, we thought it was a try to get my attention. She went to Escala to seek me out. But while we were in New York, she visited SIP and asked to see you."

I stopped, waiting to see how Ana would receive this news.

"Me?"

"Ana… The photo in the press at your graduation was the first time I've been pictured with a woman who was not a relative. We think Leila must have seen it."

Ana had her head tilted to one side, carefully considering my words.

"Leila?"

"Miss Leila Williams. She was my.. _friend…_ for almost a year. I have not seen her in over two years."

Ana seemed to be taking it in her stride, so far.

"Why would she be interested in me?"

"I'm not entirely sure," I said, not looking Ana in the eye.

"But you suspect…?"

Damn that woman could read me like a book!

"I suspect she's jealous of you. Things ended because Leila wanted _more."_ The words hung between us.

"But how would she know it was my car?" Ana asked. I ran my hand through my hair. I'd been hoping she wouldn't ask that question.

"Leila has the same car. Just an older model. They all do," I said, not daring to look at Ana just then. "And yours was in the usual parking bay."

"I see," she replied crisply. "So how would she know where I work?"

"We don't know. I have every possible person trying to find her, but she's not using her phone or any of her cards, she hasn't been in touch with her family, and we can't track where she's staying. Initially, I had security on you as a precaution, but now we know for sure Leila knows about you, security is even more important. She's unstable, Ana."

I was surprised by an indecorous snort from Ana.

"No shit she's unstable, Christian," she said. "She _trashed my car_ , and now you're telling me she showed up at my work?! How long has this been going on? Was this the situation you had to fly back to take care of when I was in Savannah?"

"Yes."

"Were you going to tell me about it?" she asked, her voice alarmingly composed.

"Of course! I was going to tell you tonight! I would have told you in New York, but you'd already been through so much, and I was hoping things would be under control by the time we got back."

Prescott and Taylor watched our verbal volleyball match. I could see both of them would rather be anywhere else than here witnessing this.

Ana paused before nodding her head. "So what now?"

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"For now, I'd like you to stay with me at Escala. If Leila knows where you work, there's every chance she knows where you live, too. I can better protect you at my apartment. Until the situation is resolved, I'd like you to have two security with you at all times."

"Even at work?" she spluttered incredulously.

"Yes. Leila's been very efficient at evading us so far. I can't take the chance she'll show up there again."

"I'm on an upper floor in a secure building. I'm not having two people follow me every time I need to use the toilet or go to the photocopier, Christian! _One_ security, at reception or in the SIP security office," she demanded.

"You'll take your lunch from home, only leave the office when absolutely necessary and never without security," I quickly countered.

"Ok," she agreed, pulling her chair closer to mine and giving me her hand. Her touch calmed me, and I moved my chair closer to hers.

"Don't worry about your car," I soothed. "It was insured. I'll have one exactly the same there by the time we get home."

"I don't _want_ one the same," Ana replied, with the first hint of anger in her voice.

"You don't want another car?"

"No. I don't want one the same as your _friends!"_

Realization rained down on me. Of course, she didn't want the same car I'd given each of my submissives!

"We'll get you something different," I immediately replied. "Something safe. Not a Saab, the word is they're going under. What about a Volvo? The C30 has had good reviews, and it's very sporty? Maybe one with a sunroof?" I was rambling, and I knew it.

Ana smiled. "Maybe we can go looking this weekend?"

"I'd like that," I replied, bringing her hand to my lips to kiss.

* * *

"How the fuck did this happen?" I shouted as soon as I'd walked Ana and Prescott down to the SUV. Taylor had been on and off his phone while I'd shown Ana around select parts of GEH, but with her now on her way back to my apartment, I wanted answers!

"Sawyer checked the area, but the perp is long gone. He's with Escala's security team viewing the security footage. Whoever vandalized the car slipped in on foot behind a vehicle entering the carpark. They had a cap and hoodie on and a backpack. They knew the place well enough to keep their face covered around the cameras, and Miss Steele's car was not covered by a camera, but the height and build match Miss Williams."

"We already knew it was Leila. How does she keep getting away from you like this?" I shouted. I'd been holding it together in in front of Ana, but this shit had to stop! Leila getting to Ana's car was _far_ too close for my liking. "I'm going to call Roach. I want SIP security alerted. No one gets in or out unless they're explicitly cleared. Sawyer and Prescott can take turns staying at SIP while the other patrols the exterior of the building and the garage. It's not just Leila we have to look out for – there's a chance Jack might be feeling vengeful, too."

"Other than the large cash withdrawal, we've not detected anything from him since he left the hospital in New York," Taylor said stiffly, no doubt smarting from my comments about the Leila situation. "There's been no sign of him at his listed address here, and he's not contacted SIP."

"Great. So we have two people out there potentially looking to get even with my girlfriend, and we can't find either of them?" I growled.

"I'm afraid it looks that way," Taylor agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

My eyelids fluttered open, and I turned in bed to look at Christian. He was asleep and gloriously naked, the sheet puddled around his hips. Lying back in the crisp, white linen, the gentle morning sun kissing his skin, he looked like a God.

I smiled, remembering last night. After Prescott and I returned to Escala in the afternoon, I'd hung out in Christian's library reading some manuscripts to take my mind off Jack, Leila, and SIP. It was bad enough I'd be returning to SIP in less than ideal circumstances, but now I'd be there with security, too! Although after what Leila had done to my car, I could see the sort of threat she represented, and why security was necessary.

When Christian came home, we'd shared a meal, and then he'd dragged me through to his office where I perched on his lap while he searched the Internet for car reviews and safety statistics. We narrowed it down to the Volvo C30 T5 and Volkswagen GTI, and Christian promised me we'd go for some test drives on the weekend. I'd never chosen a new car for myself, so I was even more excited than I was when he'd given me the 'submissive's special' for my graduation.

However, once the car shortlist had been decided, Christian had ended up lying me back on his desk, going down on me and fingering me until I came against his face. Twice. Then he turned me over and took me from behind. Pressed hard against the green leather top of his desk, Christian positioned me so my feet could _just_ touch the ground before taking me at a slow, torturous pace. Pinned, as I was, between Christian and his desk I could barely move to encourage things along, so eventually I'd been reduced to begging him to take me harder and faster - which he had! When we'd finally finished, he'd carried me up to shower and then to bed.

It was early, still, but I was nervous about returning to SIP today, so I was hoping for a bit of Christian's unique brand of reassurance before breakfast. Carefully pulling the sheet from his hips, I smiled when I found what I was looking for. Lying nestled against the hair of his upper thigh, it was beautiful even when flaccid. Not that I intended it to stay that way for very long! I wrapped my hand around his dick, stroking it lightly while watching Christian's face. He smiled in his sleep, and I could feel his shaft start to thicken and lengthen in my palm.

"Well _that's_ a nice way to be woken, Miss Steele," Christian smirked, his eyelids opening to reveal his gorgeous gray eyes, darkening with lust by the second. "Should I take it you need some attention?"

"Hmm – I thought I'd start by giving you some attention," I replied, slipping down the bed to kneel between his legs and take him into my mouth. Remembering the first time I'd given him a blow job in his bathroom, I employed the same techniques, and it wasn't long before Christian's hands were in my hair, holding my head in place as he bucked upward, forcing his cock deep into my mouth.

I chanced a glance up, and Christian was looking at me like I was the sexiest thing imaginable. Then he closed his eyes, grunted out "Fuck, Ana!" and his salty seed was spurting onto the back of my throat. I swallowed, savoring each drop.

"What's gotten into _you_ this morning?" Christian asked, grinning when I relinquished his cock.

"I know what _hasn't_ gotten into me," I said with a mock pout, laughing when Christian pulled me to him with a very sexy growl.

"So my baby _does_ need some attention…"

* * *

"Morning Mrs. Jones," Christian greeted, a relaxed, happy smile on his face as we walked hand in hand to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Mr. Grey, Miss Steele," Gail greeted with a smile, presenting us with our preferred breakfasts. An egg white omelet and black coffee for Christian, granola and a cup of tea for me.

"That's not a lot of breakfast, Anastasia," Christian said, his tone sharp.

"I don't like to eat a lot in the morning," I replied, refusing to be bullied into eating when I wasn't hungry. "I'll have a larger lunch."

And like that Mr. Cranky was diverted.

"Mrs. Jones. Ana will be taking her lunch to work with her each day. Can you please organize a lunch bag for her?"

"Certainly Mr. Grey. Miss Steele – is there anything you'd like?"

"Whatever's easy. I'd be happy with a sandwich and a piece of fruit," I replied.

Christian's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I have some mushroom, bacon and spinach gnocchi here," Gail tempted, "or I could do a grilled chicken salad?"

"The gnocchi sounds amazing. Thank you."

Gail busied herself packing my lunch. I noticed, at a stern look from Christian, she included a banana in the carefully folded bag. We were finishing our breakfast when Christian spoke.

"Sawyer is assigned to you, today. He will do an initial check of your work area, then will stay in the SIP security room while you are at work. He will do occasional sweeps through each of the floors throughout the day but will not approach you unless there's a security situation. Prescott will be nearby all day. I have programmed their numbers, and Taylor's, into your BlackBerry. Please remember the news about the GEH takeover of SIP will not be public for at least another week. Roach knows, but I am unsure about who he's shared the information with."

"You're going ahead with the purchase?"

"It makes good financial sense. And I want you safe. I promise I won't interfere – but I need you somewhere where I can control the security."

I understood his concern. I did. It didn't mean I liked it.

* * *

"Hey, Ana," Claire greeted as I walked in to SIP, Sawyer beside me. "Mr. Roach asked you to go straight up once you got here."

Claire's eyes were inquisitive, so I gave her a shrug and stepped into the elevator. Sawyer stopped at my floor on the way up, presumably going to check out my workspace.

Dressed in a black Dolce and Gabbana wrap dress from my new closet, with black heels and puce accessories, I looked the part of a successful young businesswoman, even if I didn't feel it.

"Ana Steele to see Mr. Roach," I announced to Roach's assistant when I reached the fifth floor.

"He's expecting you," a bored woman in her fifties or sixties announced, gesturing me through. I knocked on the office door, surprised when Roach opened the door himself.

"Miss Steele," Roach greeted, a sickly-sweet smile on his face.

"Mr. Roach," I replied cordially, taking the seat in front of his desk as per his direction.

"Miss Steele – I wanted to start by giving you my apologies for the actions of Jack Hyde. We've let him go, and I had no idea he'd approached you to go to New York under the guise of a work trip. Had we had _any_ idea, of course, we would have stepped in," Roach announced nervously, his bald pate shining with sweat. "I want you to know how seriously we take that sort of… situation…" he continued, trailing off lamely.

"Thank you. I appreciate that" I replied, realizing Roach was completely at a loss of how to proceed with this conversation. "Does anyone know that Jack has left and why?"

"Not so far," Roach replied. "I thought it best to speak with you to see how you'd like to handle things? It would be our preference to keep any scandal to a minimum…"

"Believe me, I want people knowing about it even less than you do," I assured him.

"Then I'll prepare an intra-office memo stating Jack has left us to pursue other opportunities. It happens quite often after major events."

I nodded. What Roach said made sense. There was more that needed to be said, but since Roach didn't seem inclined to raise it, I did.

"Mr. Roach? I know that GEH is negotiating to buy SIP, and while I _am_ dating Christian Grey, I want you to know I don't want any special treatment because of that. As far as you and anyone else is concerned, I am just Ana Steele – editorial assistant. Christian has _promised_ me that other than increased security, he won't interfere with my work here at SIP."

I looked up at Roach, and although I couldn't tell much from his expression, he perhaps looked a little dubious.

"I love it, here. Being in publishing has been my dream for years," I confessed. "But I need to earn it on my own merits, not thanks to who I'm dating. If I suspect I'm getting preferential treatment due to Christian, I'll leave, and he knows that."

"It will take me a few weeks to replace Jack. Do you think you can hold the fort with his correspondence until we find someone to replace him?" Roach asked nervously. "PR will come up with a statement you can send to his existing authors."

"I've only been here two weeks, but I'm sure I can. If I run into problems, is there someone I can ask?"

"Yes of course. For the time being, you'll report to Cheryl in romance. Her assistant Casey will also be able to help you."

By the time I got back to my desk, Sawyer had disappeared, so I sat down and fired up my computer checking first my, then Jack's schedule for this week and next. There were a few authors I'd need to contact to reschedule meetings, but other than everything looked straightforward. It was only 9:30 but I already missed Christian.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Safe at Work

 **Date:** June 22, 2011 9:31

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian

Thank you for this morning, it was just what I needed!

I met with Mr. Roach this morning, and I am to stay in my current position taking care of correspondence and rescheduling meetings until a new editor is found. In the meantime, I am reporting to the head of romance Cheryl Burrows.

I forgot to tell you, but Kate's brother Ethan is arriving in Seattle tomorrow for an interview and will be staying at the unit. He's coming to SIP tomorrow to pick up the keys. I am not sure how long he'll be staying.

I love you,

Ana  
Editorial Assistant, SIP

Christian and Taylor had dropped Sawyer and me off this morning, Prescott following in one of the SUVs. It would have been easier to travel separately, but Christian had said he wanted to see me safely through the doors to SIP. I suspect the long sexy kisses we shared in the back of the car during the short trip might have had something to do with the travel arrangements, too!

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Anytime

 **Date:** June 22, 2011 9:36

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Anastasia

I'm happy to give you that _anytime_ you want!

Thank you for updating me on your work situation. My work situation is amusing. Your presence here yesterday has apparently confirmed to my staff I am _not_ gay.

I will have security sweep your unit for Ethan. You will be staying with me at Escala. That is not negotiable.

I love you too, baby.

Christian  
Lovestruck CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I was still grinning at the screen when a new email flashed up from Roach. The memo letting everyone know 'Jack Hyde has left SIP to pursue other options.'

It was short and sweet. And it had Casey descend on my desk about ten seconds after it was released.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," I lied, not quite meeting her eyes. "Mr. Roach asked to see me this morning and just said they'd be interviewing for a replacement ASAP and for me to take care of the emails and stuff until Jack's replaced. He said I'm reporting to Cheryl but that if I run into problems to ask you first."

"He must have been head-hunted," Casey mused knowingly. "I wonder where he ended up? Still, I'm glad he's gone. I always got a creepy feeling about him."

"So? How was the book fair?" I quickly asked, not wanting to dwell on just _how_ creepy Jack was. And for the next half an hour, Casey told me how she'd never worked so hard, but also about the wonderful contacts she'd made.

"One day I hope to be an editor in New York," she confided. "What about you?"

"Definitely an editor, too," I replied, "but Seattle's pretty appealing for me right now."

"Whoa!" Casey blurted out, looking over my shoulder in surprise. I turned to see Sawyer approaching me carrying the largest bunch of red roses I had ever seen.

"Miss Steele," he said with a nod, "you have a delivery."

I gestured for him to put the flowers on my desk, where they took up half the available workspace. Plucking the card from the center of the bouquet, I tented the envelope to read the message within.

 _Anytime, anywhere, anyway, always. C_

"You have a serious admirer," Casey commented, leaning over to sniff the roses. "Your boyfriend?"

"Yes," I said, blushing furiously. "We were on a break, but we got back together over the weekend."

"It must have been _quite_ a weekend," she teased.

I couldn't help but giggle. "It was!"


	20. Chapter 20

"Christian, darling. It's been _forever_ since we spoke."

"Just over a week, Elena," I responded dryly, glad she'd at least had the sense to ring during the morning when I'd be at work so Ana would not be around to witness the call.

If I'd hoped Ana's feelings towards Elena might soften, then I was disappointed. At first, her snide comments about my former Domme had annoyed me. I'd tried to point out Elena had given me the focus and direction I'd desperately needed during my teenage years. Ana, however, saw it differently. She saw the fifteen-year-old me as a vulnerable, confused young man and Elena as a predator, and after mulling it over in my mind, I was starting to understand her point of view.

My fifteen-year-old self had needed love and understanding. Instead, Elena had beaten me and fucked my brains out. I'd always felt so indebted to her – grateful that she could love me in a way I could endure. But now I'd found Ana, I knew that what Elena had given me wasn't love, and I couldn't help but wonder how things might have been had I found an Ana at fifteen and not Elena.

"Well it feels like longer," she gushed. "I was just ringing to see if you're free for lunch this week? Or we could do dinner? We should go over the figures for the salon."

I sighed. The figures for the salons I jointly owned with Elena were chickenfeed, in the scheme of things, and hardly worthy of my attention. While I used to dine with Elena once every week or so, I hadn't seen her since Ana came on the scene – and now I wasn't sure I wanted to.

"This week is not good. Things have gotten completely out of control with Leila. On Friday she tried to contact Ana at work, and yesterday she vandalized her car in the garage at Escala," I growled.

"Oh, the poor thing," Elena purred with patent insincerity. "She must be terrified! Be careful, Christian, she doesn't have the fortitude of your other subs. She might decide it's all too much and run away!"

My heart clenched as Elena voiced my darkest fear; that Ana would decide our relationship wasn't worth the drama that went with being mine; that she wouldn't think _I_ was worth it.

"I have no fears there," I said coldly. "Firstly, Ana is not my sub she's my girlfriend. And things are going better than ever. In fact, she's moving in with me."

"That didn't take her long," Elena retorted snidely.

"Well, I guess I can thank Leila for that," I snapped back. "Ana is the most precious person in the world to me, and I won't take any chances with her safety."

"Of course you won't," Elena cooed. "How about the three of us have dinner this week? I'm very curious to meet her. She sounds charming…"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Elena. Email the figures across, and I'll take a look at them."

She tittered. "Oh Christian, you know I'm no good at technology."

"Then courier them. I have to go, Elena, I have a meeting."

I disconnected the call. How had I never noticed the coldness in her voice before? She'd laughed, but it wasn't warm. And what was with her interest in meeting Ana? I'd become successful in business by trusting my instincts, and right now my instincts were telling me I wanted Elena as far as possible from Ana and what we were building together.

I looked at my reply to Ana's last email and picked up my phone.

"Brilliant Bayside Blooms, Neil speaking."

"Neil, it's Christian Grey. I need an urgent delivery. Red roses - your very best. Four dozen please."

"To the same young lady?"

"That's right. But to work this time," I said, furnishing him with the required details and my message. "Just drop them to the front – security will be waiting to take them up."

That settled I turned back to my computer. Between Taipei, New York then yesterday, I was behind and had a lot to catch up on; particularly now I had a reason to be home by 6:00 pm every evening!

* * *

"Hey, baby," I said striding out of the elevator to find Ana curled up on the sofa, one of her ever-present manuscripts in her hand.

"Christian!" she squealed, dropping the bound sheaf onto the couch and running over to me. I couldn't help but grin. _This_ was the sort of welcome I liked to come home to! Dropping my briefcase, I caught her and swung her around in the air, listening to the sound of her giggles. In the kitchen, I could see Gail smiling at Taylor as she observed our antics.

"I missed you!" Ana laughed, leaning up to kiss me.

"I missed you too," I chuckled, accepting her kisses before reciprocating. "How was work?"

"It was fine. Mostly emailing authors letting them know Jack has left and rescheduling necessary appointments with other editors. It's pretty quiet, so I'm reading through manuscripts and making recommendations for the new editor. Although it's hard to read with such a huge bunch of flowers on my desk…"

"You liked them?" I asked, pretending I wasn't too emotionally invested in the answer.

"No. I _loved_ them, Christian, because I love you."

"I love you too, Anastasia Rose Steele," I replied, staring into those fathomless blue eyes. "Always."

"Did you have any plans for tonight?" Ana asked after we'd enjoyed Mrs. Jones' delicious Apricot Chicken for dinner.

"Not particularly." Although I'd be up for another night of taking Ana on my desk. That had been hot as hell. "Why?"

"Well… I was wondering if maybe you could take me back to the playroom?"

I froze, unsure exactly what she was asking.

"You want to play?"

She nodded, her eyes not leaving mine as her teeth nervously bit that soft, plump lower lip of hers.

"Do you want to submit, baby?" I checked.

She nodded. "I like it when Sir is gentle with me."

"No punishments, ever," I promised, my cock already twitching as I mentally ran through all the things I wanted to do to and with her. "Just pleasure, for both of us."

* * *

Ana kneeling by the door of the playroom waiting for me was the single hottest thing I had ever seen. After she ran, I genuinely thought she'd never grace this room with her presence again, but here she was, surprising me once again. Looking around the room with fresh eyes, the idea of using some of this equipment on her revolted me. There were several pieces I knew I could dispose of immediately, and others that could be put away for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps it was time to redecorate? This room had been commissioned at a time in my life when my needs and appetites were very different. I would never be a Dom to Ana in the way I had been to the others. I _loved_ that Ana still wanted to play, and maybe a change of scenery would help her feel more ownership of this space? I wanted her to look forward to coming in here with me, and she wouldn't do that while she was still fearful of some of its contents.

"Stand up and come here," I ordered, watching as Ana sinuously rose and walked toward me, her eyes modestly downcast.

"What are your safe words?" I asked, running my fingers down the side of her face and tilting her chin up, so her eyes lifted to look into mine.

"Yellow and red, Sir," she supplied immediately.

"Nothing I do today will be about pain," I promised her, "but the feelings can be intense, so if you get overwhelmed or need a break, use your safe words, ok?"

She nodded, her eyes glimmering with trust and expectation.

"I'm going to make you feel so good," I vowed, braiding her hair before leading her over to the least frightening piece of equipment in here. Innocuous enough - a curved padded chaise that looked a bit like an S on its side - in reality, it was a sex lounge. When used correctly, the flowing curves were at the perfect gradients to comfortably facilitate several more adventurous sexual positions. I pulled a blindfold out from my back pocket. Not a mask, this time. A soft silk scarf I folded into a length.

"Wear this?" I asked instead of ordered. "When you can't see your other senses become more acute," I explained. Ana nodded and turned her back to me, allowing me to tie it securely. Guiding Ana to lie on the foot of the couch, her head was extended back. She might not realize it, but the blood rushing to her brain would make any orgasm she experienced much more potent. I grabbed the remote, switching on Ella Fitzgerald's greatest hits. We started with the Louis Armstrong duet 'Summertime.' One of my favorites, and perfect for the sexy, languid mood I wanted to create.

Once I had Ana in position, I kneeled beside her running a finger from her lips down her chin and neck, in the valley between her soft, pert breasts, over her stomach and finally to the only item of clothing she was wearing – a pale blue pair of lacy panties. Snaking a finger under the elasticated top, my finger brushed her dark curls, burrowing further until I felt her glistening slit. Hmm. Wet already!

Pulling off her panties, I opened Ana's legs, dropping to sit at the foot of the chair and burying my face in between her legs. I started by rimming her. It's something she'd seemed to really enjoy in New York, and I'd been honest when I said I couldn't wait to claim her there. Finally moving up to her slit I started with long leisurely licks. I wanted to take this slow and make it last. While Ana said she wanted to play, I was worried about going too hard too fast, so tonight was going to be all about sensual pleasure and building up trust.

Introducing a finger and then a second, I was massaging Ana's tight little twat from the inside, circling my fingers on her front wall, rubbing right on her g spot. Liberal juices coating my fingers, I was making a meal of licking her sweet folds clean.

"That feels so good, Sir," she moaned, a blissful smile on her face. Had she been a sub, I would have withdrawn my fingers there and then for daring to speak unbidden. But she wasn't a sub, despite calling me Sir, and I enjoyed hearing her voice her approval.

"I know, baby," I said, removing my fingers from her honey hole. She'd been starting to tighten, and while I didn't want to use orgasm denial on her, I knew the longer I made her wait, the better it would be for her. Standing up, I warned her, "I'm going to take the blindfold off, but keep your eyes closed."

Obligingly Ana lifted her head, and I slid the blindfold free. Shaking it a couple of times until it unfurled, I let the end of it puddle on the flawless skin of her stomach. She jumped but settled when her mind identified what it was. I waited for her to relax back onto the lounge before I started moving my hand above her, the tail of the scarf sliding over her milky skin. Ana shivered, her skin puckering in goose pimples despite the relative warmth of the room. Dragging the scarf up to her breasts, I trailed the fabric over each beautiful mound, my dick hardening even more as I saw her nipples elongate and pebble with the merest touch as the silk ran over them.

I dropped to my knees beside the lounge, blowing on her nipple to let her know I was close before I took the plump little cherry between my lips, laving it with my tongue then sucking hard.

"Ahhh!" Ana hissed, a sound of unmistakable pleasure. Her breasts were so sensitive – I couldn't wait to introduce her to nipple clamps. I'm pretty sure she'd love them! But, for now, my lips and fingers would have to suffice.

I taunted her with the silk and my mouth and fingers until she was starting to mewl with displeasure.

"Please, Sir?"

"Soon, baby," I soothed. I checked my Audemars Piguet, surprised to find I'd been working Ana for forty-five minutes already. Enough with entrée - my baby girl needed the main course! "Keep your eyes closed. I am going to spin you one-eighty on the lounge, ok?"

A small nod was her only answer. I could see her squirming, rubbing her thighs together as I spun her on the soft, supple leather. This way her head was even lower, resting near the foot of the lounge. There was a high arch under the middle of her back, and her ass was resting close to the bottom of a dip. Opening her legs, so they draped on either side of the lounge, I carefully disrobed before straddling the lounge and sitting facing her. Essentially, she was lying, legs parted and open, right in front of me.

My cock had a mind of its own, weeping with precum as it was poised in front of her wet waiting folds.

"It's time now," I soothed, running a finger down her slit to check she was ready to receive me. As always, Ana failed to disappoint. I pulled her down the lounge a little, onto my eager dick. She was fully reclined, and I was seated. The angles were perfect for me to rock, each thrust pushing the head of my manhood straight to the sensitive spot on the front wall of her sweet pussy. With relatively little effort o my behalf, my cock could repeatedly stroke that place most like to help her cum!

Of course, the view of Ana's pretty little tits pushed up by the position she lay in didn't offend me. Nipples a pretty reddish-pink thanks to my recent oral ministrations, I took great joy watching her breasts jiggle as I rocked underneath Ana, knowing each thrust brought her one step closer to release.

"It feels so good… Sir!" she added, almost as an afterthought. My hands now on her hips pulling her down in time with my hip tilts, I could feel an inexorable tightening in her sweet channel. She was _so_ close but so was I. Reaching up to those tempting red buds, I pinched each, delighted to feel Ana tense and then spasm.

"Oh Christian! SIR!" she screamed as her pussy clamped around me.

The first pulse, and I was gone. Her orgasm wasn't the only one better for being delayed. As I released in her wet, slick hole, it felt like I was going to cum forever.

"Ana!" I groaned, allowing myself to fall forward, my face nestled against those sweet breasts of hers, nearly cumming again when she brought her delicate hands up to caress my back.

"You make me feel so good," Ana giggled in contentment.

"Right back at you, baby," I sighed, nuzzling Ana's beautiful twin globes. And in the background 'Someone to Watch Over Me' played sweetly. 'That's _me,_ baby' I thought. Always.

* * *

 _Thanks for all your lovely favorites, follows and reviews. You've all made me feel very welcome as a new writer in the FSOG fandom :)_

 _Just wanted to let you know, I am off on holidays for a week from tomorrow, so updates may well be slower/delayed. A good holiday, for me, means lots of writing, but we'll see how I go. If I don't get a chance to write/post I promise I'll be back with some goodness in a week's time._

 _I'll update on my Facebook page about this and my other current projects:_  
 _www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters_


	21. Chapter 21

"Good morning," I said a little shyly, watching as Christian came out of the bathroom toweling off and gloriously naked. "You look happy?"

"I am happy," Christian confirmed, giving me one of his boyish, panty-dropping smiles. "Last night was wonderful. Thank you, baby."

"My pleasure," I smirked, taking in Christian's bare, sexy body and wondering if we had time for a quickie before work. What was coming over me? A few days of good loving and I was insatiable!

"No looking at me that way, Miss Steele," he ordered, wagging a finger at me in admonishment as he covered himself with a pair of briefs and started dressing. "I have an early meeting to attend! Join me for breakfast?"

I nodded, climbing out of bed, throwing on a bathrobe, and accompanying Christian to the kitchen where Gail had set out our breakfast. I started in on my granola and cup of tea, but I was really fancying a piece of bacon. And maybe some eggs, too.

"Is everything all right? Can I get you anything else?" Gail asked, noticing my lackluster efforts with the granola.

"Would some bacon and eggs be too much trouble?" I asked hopefully. Usually, I preferred a light breakfast, but this morning I was ravenous.

"No trouble at all, Miss Steele," Gail replied. I mentally rolled my eyes at Christian's approving expression. That man and food!

"Did you work up an appetite last night?" Christian asked suggestively as Mrs. Jones turned away, busying herself at the fridge.

"I must have," I muttered, blushing and hoping to God that Gail couldn't overhear our whispered words. "Ethan Kavanagh is arriving today to stay at the unit," I reminded Christian in a louder voice, hoping to divert his prurient thoughts.

"He's coming to SIP to collect the keys?"

"That's the plan. He'll be here for a few days. Until Kate gets back, I think?"

"When are Kate and my brother due back?" Christian asked curiously.

"On Monday, last I was told." I'd only heard from Kate a couple of times since she'd been away, which was unusual. However, I got the impression ninety-nine percent of her time was being taken up by the elder Grey brother. I dared even to think it, but maybe this time Kate had met her match?!

"So, I have you to myself for the weekend," Christian grinned, his eyes darkening as a suggestive grin spread across his face. "Other than car shopping, is there anything you fancy doing?"

I did have something in mind, although I'm not sure how much Christian would like it.

"I thought maybe on Saturday afternoon I might go see Dad in Montesano and stay the night? The whole New York thing scared him, and I know he'd like to see me to make sure I'm ok." As I'd anticipated, Christian's jaw tightened.

"You'd like to go alone?"

"Only if you don't want to come with me? I know Ray won't mind you staying," I offered, sure of my invitation since I'd raised the idea with Dad when I'd called him yesterday. "We could go down on Saturday afternoon, stay the night, and come back on Sunday? Maybe we could take the R8?" I suggested, referring to Christian's sports car in the hope that it might sweeten the deal.

"That sounds great, baby," he said, a smile on his lips. "I'd love to see Ray again. That reminds me. I had my office contact the gallery in Portland to discuss delivery of your photographs. When he found out I was the purchaser, the photographer offered to deliver and install them himself - I suspect in the hope he'd see you. Did you want to see him, or shall I have him drop them off at security downstairs?"

I was surprised Christian was giving me a choice, but I appreciated it. José had been a good friend, at one time, and while I'd be cordial when I saw him for our fathers' sakes, I'd yet to respond to any of his repeated phone messages asking me to call and begging for my forgiveness. I needed to let him know that his actions had destroyed my trust in him. I was bound to see him again, sometime so that being the case, I'd prefer it at a time of my choosing, on my turf, and with Christian there.

"How about he delivers them here after work sometime next week?" I suggested.

Christian's scowl was instantaneous, so I quickly explained my rationale.

"Nothing is going to show José I'm unavailable more than my boyfriend decorating his office with pictures of me," I explained. "Our fathers are best friends, so I'll have to see him again; I'd like you with me when I do."

"I'll have Andrea check my schedule," Christian said, all smiles again. "Maybe Wednesday?"

Finishing his coffee, Christian stood, leaning across to kiss me as Gail set a plate of bacon and eggs on toast in front of me.

"Have a good day, baby. Prescott and Sawyer will take you to work when you're ready."

I watched as Taylor appeared from nowhere, and the two moved to the elevator and were whisked away. Then I chatted with Gail and ate my breakfast before I headed back to the bedroom to shower and dress for the day.

* * *

I turned around twice, and it was 3:00 pm. The day had been flat out. The morning had been taken up by the weekly editors' meeting. Cheryl had suggested I attend so I could update the team on what Jack had been working on as well as take notes to provide to the new editor once they started. It was a fabulous opportunity for me to get an understanding of how the editing team worked as a whole, and while I'd written notes for my new boss, I'd written just as many for myself.

Toward the end of the meeting, Roach had appeared to address the senior staff about the rumors of SIP being sold. He confirmed that final negotiations were underway with a purchaser, and that he did not anticipate any significant changes, in the short term, but that the interested party was looking to diversify into E-publishing. Roach's eyes did not meet mine during his announcement, and I knew better than to reveal to anyone that GEH was the purchaser, or that I was in a relationship with its CEO!

After a quick lunch at my desk with Casey, I spent the afternoon with Mark from technical writing, who took a couple of hours running me through the ordering and inventory processes. By the time I made my way back to my desk at 3:00 pm, I doubt my brain could take in any more!

 **From** : Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Remembering

 **Date:** June 23, 2011 11:36

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Anastasia

Security has completed a sweep of your unit ready for Mr. Kavanagh's arrival. Mrs. Jones has also restocked the pantry and fridge with the basics for him.

I have made appointments at Volvo and Volkswagen on Saturday morning for us to test-drive vehicles before we leave for Montesano.

I hope your day is going well. My day is dull but made bearable by remembering our adventures last night.

Christian  
Missing his girlfriend CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

In the rush of the day, I'd all but forgotten Ethan was arriving! Checking my phone, I was relieved to read a message from a few hours before.

 _Hi Ana. Plane has been delayed leaving. Just about to board now. I'll message once I'm in Seattle and work out where to meet up._

Phew! He must still be in the air. I kept working, and it was almost 4:00 pm when I got another text.

 _Ana, ran into a friend at the airport and going for a drink. He'll drop me back to the unit by 5:30. That ok?_

Perfect. Sawyer and Prescott could take me there on the way back to Escala. I fired off a quick reply to the affirmative, then finished a few emails and readied my tasks for the morning. Calling Prescott, I alerted her to the slight change of plans, and at 5:25 we set off for the short trip to the unit. Prescott was driving and pulled into my designated spot.

"I'll pop up and give him the keys."

"Taylor's instructions are to take you up," Sawyer replied apologetically. Great. Now I'm not even allowed up a set of stairs unattended!

"Fine," I said with more attitude than was probably warranted, allowing Sawyer to open my door for me and escort me to the unit. I stopped at the door, fumbling with my keys when the door opened in front of me. I jumped back, and Sawyer unholstered his firearm.

"Ethan! How did you get inside?" I gasped as Kate's brother looked at me and my CPO.

"Um, your friend let me in. Who's this?" Ethan asked, not asking the more obvious question; 'Why is he pointing a firearm at me?'

"Ethan this is Sawyer, my close personal protection. Sawyer this is Ethan Kavanagh, my flatmate's brother. Who let you in?" I asked again urgently.

"Your friend, Leila. You just missed her. She didn't know who I was, but once I explained I'm Kate's brother, she gave me the spare set of keys. She asked me to tell you she's sorry she missed you, but she'll see you soon."

The blood rushed from my face, and my knees started to buckle. Ethan caught me as I fell, and he helped me into the unit, setting me on the sofa. Looking around everything seemed to be ok.

"Ana? Ana, what's wrong?" he asked as Sawyer warned us to stay put in the living area before pushing past us, his firearm still drawn. He checked Kate's room, the bathroom and then went across to my bedroom. He was in there for a few minutes before he came out, phone in hand.

"Taylor we have a situation at Miss Steele's unit…"

I didn't hear the rest, as Prescott entered the unit, looking as though her ass were on fire.

"Ana? Are you alright? Who are these people? Are you in trouble?" Ethan asked, regarding Prescott warily.

"It's a long story, and I'm fine," I assured him, looking to Sawyer for answers as he hung up the phone.

"Taylor is on his way. Miss Steele, Mr. Kavanagh? I have to ask you to go with Prescott until the unit is secured" he directed, not meeting my eyes.

"Sawyer? What's happening?!" My voice was shrill and panicked, even to my own ears.

"Taylor needs you to get out of here please Miss Steele. Prescott will take you wherever you want to go."

Too stunned to object, I let Ethan help me to my feet and back down to the SUV. Prescott carefully checked the vehicle before climbing into the driver's seat.

"Shall I take you to Escala, Ma'am? Or would you rather drive?" she asked.

"Escala," I replied faintly, leaning back against the seat and closing my eyes.

"Ana? What's happening? Where are we going?"

I could have done without the third degree right now, but of course, Ethan needed answers.

"Escala is the building where my boyfriend's apartment is located. His ex-girlfriend Leila is a stalker," I explained, trying to translate the actuality of the situation into something more understandable. "She's just discovered that Christian and I are together, and she's freaked out. She must have broken into the unit today."

"She didn't seem unhinged," Ethan said, almost to himself. "She seemed really nice."

"Not _that_ nice. She threw paint all over my brand new car," I snapped, suddenly feeling as though I needed to explain myself. "And she's shown up at my work. That's why Christian insisted I have two security personnel, and I'm staying with him at his unit until she's apprehended…"

"Why was she in your apartment?"

"She must have been looking for me," I sighed. "I've never met her."

"And the keys?" Ethan questioned sounding perplexed.

"We keep a spare set in the dresser drawer inside near the front door," I admitted, appreciating now that security-wise that wasn't a great move. "She must have broken in then found them."

"So what does your boyfriend do that he has so much security?" Ethan asked, not even attempting to mask the suspicion in his voice.

"He's in business," I replied wearily. "Christian Grey?"

"Owner of _Grey Enterprises Holdings?"_ Ethan gasped.

"Yes. That's him," I replied wearily, my eyes still closed.


	22. Chapter 22

I can't believe Leila had broken into Ana and Kate's apartment. According to Sawyer, she climbed the fire escape and forced a window in what turned out to be Ana's room. She'd obviously had a chance to have a good look around because while Kate's room was undisturbed, Ana's bedroom was completely trashed. Every item of clothing was slashed, as were the bed sheets, but the worst thing was the books. There were broken spines and torn pages decorating the room like confetti. Knowing how Ana treasured her tomes, this would devastate her.

"How the hell did this happen?" I shouted, my blood pressure shooting through the roof as I surveyed the damage. "This unit was meant to be checked!"

"It was checked," Taylor replied, looking far from happy. "I checked it myself this morning when Gail restocked the fridge."

"I want an alarm system installed here. Motion detectors in every room. Panic buttons. Everything!" I ordered, knowing it was a matter of shutting the gate after the horse had bolted. There was no way I'd allow Ana to move back in here after this, and once she saw the destruction Leila had wrought, I wondered whether she'd want to. "And get a team over here to clean up. Make a list of the books destroyed so I can replace them."

"Miss Steele will probably want to see herself what can be salvaged," Taylor warned. He was right. There was no way I could protect Ana from seeing this, no matter _how_ much I wanted to.

"She's going to run," I predicted, running my hands through my hair.

"Not necessarily," Taylor replied, looking at me with sympathy.

"Everything she owns has been destroyed because of me. Of course she's going to run," I replied fatalistically.

* * *

It turns out I disliked Ethan Kavanagh even more than I did his sister. Not only did he look at Ana in a way that wasn't entirely fraternal, but I also had to wonder what sort of guy takes some stranger's word about being a friend of the occupier when unexpectedly found inside their unit.

Ethan wasn't able to tell us much, other than that Leila knew Ana by name, and had said she'd been dropping off something of hers. Ana's bedroom door had been closed, and Ethan didn't go in, which was why he was unaware there'd been damage.

While Taylor and I doubted Leila would return, I couldn't in good conscience let Kavanagh stay there; at least until the locks were changed. So it was with a heavy sense of obligation that I invited him to stay at Escala. Ana and I had left him watching a movie in my theatre room while we returned to the unit to see if anything of Ana's could be salvaged.

I knew Ana was worried about how Kate would take the news, so we'd all intentionally played down the situation in front of Ethan. Taylor had made it sound more like Leila had rifled through Ana's stuff rather than destroying it.

"How bad is it?" Ana asked later, her beautiful blue eyes filling with tears.

"Pretty much everything," I dolefully replied. I was holding Ana's hand, but it was more for my sake than hers. We were in the back of the SUV heading back to her unit. "I'll replace everything," I offered, knowing there would be sentimental things I couldn't just buy.

"And my books are all gone?" The quiver in Ana's voice made the question all the worse.

"I'm sorry."

"At least the Tess books are at your place, I guess," she remarked, referring to the first editions I'd given her for her graduation.

I wanted to correct her and say 'our' place, but Ana had only agreed to stay at Escala until Leila was apprehended. I didn't dare hope she'd want to move in with me now.

"I've arranged for a top of the line security system to be installed. Someone from Elliot's team will install it next week. Sawyer is having the locks changed."

Ana nodded passively, and I couldn't help but wonder how much she blamed me for what had happened – because I doubt it could be anywhere as much as I blamed myself.

In the passenger seat beside Taylor sat Mrs. Jones. She'd suggested she come with us to the unit to help Ana work out what, if anything, could be saved from her room. I knew Gail would organize for people to come in and reset the space, but she needed to know what she was working with. I also got the sense she wanted to be there to support Ana.

Taylor and Gail had met all of my subs, including Leila. They'd probably known Leila the best as she'd been with me the longest. But Gail had never taken to any of them the way she had to Ana. Anastasia Rose Steele hadn't just won me over, in the few short weeks since I'd known her, she'd won over my staff, too. And right now, I was grateful for that.

"You don't have to do this, baby," I said as we pulled up into Ana's parking spot.

"It's just stuff," she said, putting on a brave face, allowing Taylor to open her door.

Sawyer was inside the unit when we arrived and reported in to Taylor as Gail, Ana and I walked to Ana's room.

"Oh," Ana said, stopping in the doorway, eyes widening as she looked at her worldly possessions thrown all over the floor. She hadn't had a lot, but what she'd had was ruined.

"Oh sweetheart," Gail lamented, opening up her arms as Ana burst into tears, and I couldn't help but feel it was significant that Ana had turned to Gail instead of me. "It looks worse than it is," Gail promised. "Do you have any of the packing boxes left? We can start sorting things."

Under Gail's skilled instruction, we were soon tossing items into various boxes, all but one bound for the trash. At Gail's insistence, anything sentimental was put into a separate box, no matter how badly it was damaged. I was relieved to see there was not much in that box.

I had my phone out, photographing the cover of each ruined book before casting it into a box bound for paper recycling. Mostly inexpensive paperback versions of classics, they'd be easy enough to replace.

Gail stripped the bed, tossing the bedding into another box with the ruined clothing. Once the quilt and sheets were off, it became evident even the mattress was ruined – numerous long rips through the sheets had gone through to the surface of the bed. I don't know whether Ana realized what that signified, but Gail's quick look at me indicated she understood. The brunt of Leila's rage had been centered on the place where Ana slept, and she must have been armed with a knife. A big one, if the depth of the damage was any indication. Kavanagh suddenly went up a lot in my estimation. If he hadn't been here and interrupted Leila, Ana might have encountered her alone.

"I think we're done," Gail said with an attempt at cheer. "I'll just get Taylor and Sawyer to move these boxes out."

Stepping out of the room, she gave Ana and me privacy.

"She destroyed everything," Ana said sadly, allow me to pull her into my arms. She rested her head against my chest.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I really am."

"Why does she hate me so much?"

"She hates you because she thinks she loves me."

 _"Thinks?"_

"She never knew me," I said, struggling to find the words to explain. "None of them ever knew me. You're the only one I've ever let in. You're the only one who can share my bed. The only one to touch me. You're the only one I've ever wanted more with. You're the only woman I've ever loved."

"Do you still love me?" Ana asked in a small voice.

"Always, baby!" I answered, trying not to panic.

"I thought you might think I wasn't worth all this bother? That it would be easier if you _didn't_ love me?"

My ex-submissive had destroyed everything she owned, and Ana thought I might find it too _bothersome?!_ I didn't deserve this woman.

"Anastasia – I'm in love with you. I hate that you're suffering because of my fucked up past, but I promise you, my love for you isn't going to change. I love you. _Only you."_

"Thank you," she murmured, leaning up to kiss me.

"Thank you?" I asked, pulling her to me gently.

"For loving me and always looking after me," she explained.

* * *

I woke up Friday morning feeling irritated, knowing we'd probably see Kavanagh at breakfast. Used to my own company, inviting Ana into my home had been a joy. Kate's brother? Not so much.

All evening I'd known he was in the apartment, just down the hall. I'd made a point of showing him 'our' bedroom on the way to one of the spare rooms he'd occupied for the night. And even then, I'd slept poorly, knowing another of Ana's many fanciers was here in our space.

"Come on sleepy head," I said to Ana who was spread across the crisp sheets of our bed. "Time to get up, baby!"

"I don't want to," she groaned. "I'm tired!"

I laughed.

"It's your own fault for attacking me last night," I teased. I hadn't expected it, given the sort of night we'd had, but as soon as we'd gone to bed, Ana had taken off her clothes and all but demanded I satisfy her.

"I didn't hear you objecting," she commented, eyelids fluttering as she opened her eyes to regard me.

"You know me, Miss Steele. I aim to please."

"And you did please. Several times."

"I could please you again now if you'd like?" I offered, pulling the sheet from her to feast my eyes on her naked body. I could see Ana consider it, but her appetite won out.

"I need to eat," she declared, swinging her legs out of bed and sauntering to the bathroom for a quick shower before getting dressed. Fifteen minutes later we wandered into the kitchen to find Mrs. Jones serving Ethan a cooked breakfast.

"Mr. Grey, Miss Steele," she greeted us. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"That looks good," I said, pointing to Kavanagh's plate.

"Make it two," Ana agreed, taking the cup of tea Gail had prepared and sitting at the dining table opposite Ethan. Grabbing my coffee, I followed suit, sitting at the head of the table between them. That's right. My house. My table. My girl!

"Sleep well?" I inquired politely before sipping my coffee.

"Like a log," Ethan replied with a grin. "That's quite some view to wake up to!"

"Yes. I enjoy it," I answered smugly. It was a perfect Seattle day outside, and my beautiful girlfriend was sitting beside me for breakfast. Despite all the crap with Leila, she was still here with me – so life was good.

"What time is your interview?" Ana asked Ethan pleasantly. He was giving her the glad eye, but she didn't notice because she'd turned to smile at me.

"10:30. I wanted to thank you for putting me up last night. I can ask my mate if I can stay with him for the next few days. I don't want to be a bother."

"No bother. Ana and I are going to visit her father for the weekend, so we won't be around. As you can see – we have plenty of space here. You're very welcome to stay." I'd make sure Mrs. Jones locked the doors to our bedroom, my office, the playroom and anywhere else that might be sensitive.

"Oh? You know Mr. Steele?" Ethan asked, sounding surprised.

"Daddy loves Christian," Ana piped up, picking up on the undercurrent of the conversation. "Christian was overseas the last time I went home, so Dad asked us down there for the weekend."

"We give the staff the weekend off when we go away," I explained, intentionally including Ana in my explanation, "so provided you don't mind fending for yourself, you're welcome to stay."

"If you don't mind, that would be great. I have high hopes for the interview, so if it's a yes, I'll spend the weekend apartment hunting."

"You're thinking to move here?" I checked.

"If I get the position, yes. Probably in the Pike Market district near the girls."

I nodded and smiled. I got what he was suggesting - that he might live close to my girl. But I knew Kate's parents owned the unit she and Ana lived in. It would make sense for Ethan to live there, too, should he relocate to Seattle. And since it was a two bedroom unit, that would leave Ana looking for another place to live.

"So... where are you interviewing?" I asked, suddenly _much_ more interested in Kavanagh and his plans.


	23. Chapter 23

"Are you coming for a drink?" Casey asked on Friday afternoon. I yawned, almost unable to keep my eyes open. It had been a _big_ week.

"I'm going to give it a miss today," I begged off. Christian had rung to say he was picking me up from work, plus I knew Casey wanted to quiz me about the security. People at SIP weren't stupid – it took all of ten minutes for Claire to realize Prescott and Sawyer were there for me; especially when today they were also joined by Ryan and Harris. After Leila's appearance at my unit, Christian had decided I needed additional security, so Taylor had organized even more protection.

Casey shrugged, not about to be put off so easily. "So, what's with the security? Claire said there are people patrolling the garage and checking ID badges at every entry point?"

I considered lying, but that would just make it worse.

"My boyfriend is kind of well-known and obsessed about security," I said apologetically.

"Oh! Would I have heard of him? What does he do?"

"He's in business. Mergers and acquisitions, mostly."

"Where does he work?" Casey wheedled.

"Grey Enterprises Holdings."

"I know them! They're _huge!_ What does he do there?" she asked, determined to get an answer.

"Um. He's the CEO."

"You're dating _Christian Grey?!"_ she squealed. "I thought he was gay?"

"Definitely not gay," I said with a blush, thinking about the things he'd done to me last night.

"Well I guess that explains how you can dress so well on an intern's wage," Casey said, with a smile that took the sting out of her words. "What's he like?"

I stopped to think about it before answering.

"He's driven and very private. He doesn't let a lot of people in, but he's protective of those he loves. He's sweet and generous and romantic."

"And rich as hell," Casey added impishly. "Does he have a brother?"

"He does. But he's dating my best friend!"

Casey smiled but groaned. "Some girls have _all_ the luck!"

* * *

"Hey, baby!" Christian grinned, looking up at me from the driver's seat of his R8. The car's top was down, and Christian had on his aviator glasses and a white shirt, open at the collar. No one should be allowed to look as good as he did! Sawyer opened the passenger door for me, and I climbed in, waving at a gobsmacked Casey who was on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street to go to the work drinks. And then Christian pulled out into the Friday afternoon traffic.

"You look happy," I commented.

"It's the weekend, and I get to spend it with you. I _am_ happy!"

I dropped my hand onto his thigh, and he rubbed it gently.

"Where are we going?" I asked when I noticed Christian turn away from Escala.

"You'll see," he laughed, tapping the side of his nose conspiratorially.

Since Christian wasn't going to be drawn, I relaxed into the deep bucket seat of the R8 enjoying the ride. It wasn't until we were nearly there that I realized where we were headed.

"Safeco field?" I asked hopefully. I hadn't caught a live baseball game in years, but Ray and I had come here often when I was younger.

"You bet!" Christian said, grinning like a little kid. "GEH has a permanent corporate suite here, so we'll park in the VIP parking, but I thought you might prefer to be closer to the action?"

It was all I could do to stop myself squealing. I could almost _taste_ the garlic fries and chili dog I was going to order.

Christian was still smirking as he pulled into the VIP parking lot, the other cars paling into insignificance beside his top of the line R8. A black Audi SUV pulled up next to us, and I was surprised to see Taylor step out of the vehicle dressed in cargos and a button up shirt. One of my new security, Ryan, also stepped out, dressed in similarly casual attire. I was grateful for 'dress down Friday' at SIP, so I didn't look _too_ out of place here in what I'd worn for the day.

"When in Rome," Taylor said with a smile, noticing my surprised look.

Christian kissed me, then grabbed my hand, and together we followed an attendant through the labyrinthine passages to a lift. We went down, stepping out at close to field level, before following the concierge out to the seats directly behind the dugout.

"Daddy?" I squealed, noticing Ray waiting alone in the middle of a vacant stretch of seats. "What are you doing here?!"

"Annie!" Ray said, scooping me into a firm hug. "Your young man here rang today to see if I wanted to join you to watch a game tonight. It's no fun coming to a game alone, but once I heard you had dugout seats, and the two of you were coming…"

I hugged my Dad, smiling over his shoulder at Christian. Ray _loved_ the Mariners and would watch them live any chance he got. It was incredibly thoughtful of Christian to include Dad on our impromptu date. When Ray released me, I went over to hug Christian.

"Taylor hoped to see his daughter tomorrow, so I thought we'd head down to Montesano after the game with Ray tonight? Ryan will drive, and Taylor will take the R8 back to Escala. Mrs. Jones has packed you a bag for the weekend," Christian whispered into my hair.

"What about Daddy? I don't like him driving so far at night," I replied quietly into his ear.

"I had someone pick him up this afternoon. He'll travel back to Montesano with us."

"You really think of everything, don't you?" I asked in awe, pulling back to kiss Christian once again.

"I want to give you the world, Ana," Christian replied sweetly. "I know after everything that's happened, you need to see your Dad and feel normal again. I thought this might be a good start?"

* * *

The game wasn't one of the major ones, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. We had an attendant who took orders for our section. I filled up on garlic fries and the much-anticipated chili dog with soda, while Christian and Ray enjoyed chicken wings and beer.

"I don't usually get to drink at the baseball," Ray announced, a little jolly as he and Christian started in on their fourth beer.

"You should come up more often," Christian offered. I was sitting between the two of them as we watched the game. "I can send a driver, and you're always welcome to stay at my place. I have plenty of room."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a bother," Ray replied, but I could see he was tempted. Dugout seats were amazing. It was the next best thing to being on the field.

"We could come together," I volunteered, loving seeing my hard-working Dad enjoying the match. "It would be nice to catch a live game regularly."

Ray smiled, and I knew baseball games at Safeco would be on the agenda for the rest of the season. And I couldn't help but love Christian that little bit more for giving me this time with my Dad. Finally, the game was over, the Mariners victorious, and we walked back to the vehicles. Christian was talking privately with Taylor as Dad and I followed behind.

"So, you've settled everything with Christian?" Dad asked, my arm linked through his.

"I love him," I replied with complete certainty.

"You're sure?" Ray pressed, gazing at me carefully. "I just want you happy."

"He's the one, Daddy," I told him as we approached the cars. Christian opened the passenger door for Ray before helping me into the back seat beside him in the SUV.

"We'll see you midday Sunday," Christian said to Taylor, who looked excited to be driving the R8 back to Escala. Ryan took the driver's seat of our SUV, and I think I was asleep by the time we'd reached the bottom of the parking ramp out of the stadium.

* * *

"I'll carry her," Christian told Ray, picking me up from the backseat of the car.

"Her room is on the left at the end of the corridor," Dad told him. I had a double, and it's as close as Ray would come to telling Christian it was ok to share a bed with me in his home. My eyes stayed closed as Christian carried me to my teenage bedroom. He lowered me onto my bed, slipping my shoes off for me.

"Stay," I ordered sleepily. It was the only invitation Christian needed. I heard him strip, and seconds later, he helped me remove my clothes, leaving only my panties.

"Night night, baby," he soothed, pulling the quilt up before he slipped into bed behind me, wrapping me in his arms. "I love you."

* * *

"Morning Daddy," I said shyly. Dad always rose early, so he was already awake when Christian and I emerged from my bedroom.

"Morning sweetheart. Christian," he greeted. "What did you want to do today?"

I wandered over and opened Ray's fridge, unsurprised to see half a loaf of bread in the fridge and not a lot else. The huge freezer was a similar story, other than an unappetizing stack of TV dinners.

"I feel like cooking," I announced, eyeing the contents of Ray's freezer with distaste. "Does the farmer's market still run on Saturday mornings?"

"It sure does," Dad replied happily. He loved going to the market, and even more he loved the huge cookups I would do with the fresh produce.

Christian pulled out his phone, and ten minutes later Ryan was out the front with the SUV. Dad took the passenger seat again, giving directions to the market. It was even better than I remembered it, and we spent an hour buying fresh vegetables, fruit, and meat. Poor Ryan had to make three trips to the car with everything I bought.

"Annie, there's just me. I'll never get through all that," Ray objected as I bought five pounds of chicken thighs.

"I'm going to cook it up into meals," I explained. "I'll put them in the freezer. If you pull out what you want and put it in the fridge in the morning, by dinner time you can heat it in the microwave."

Back home we stopped for a breakfast of tea, coffee and still warm chocolate croissants from the market. Then Dad and Christian settled into helping me in the kitchen, although help was probably not the most appropriate word – it was arguable which of them was more hopeless. After my third time almost bumping into one or the other of them, I banished them both to the other side of the counter, giving me full control of the kitchen.

I soon had various pots simmering on the stove; butter chicken, apricot chicken, beef stroganoff, beef satay, and sweet and sour pork. Packed with vegetables, they would be a lot healthier and tastier than the TV dinners Dad had been relying on. I really must ask Gail about other recipes that froze well. I didn't want Dad to starve.

A few hours later, the rice and noodles were prepared, and Christian helped me portion the food into a huge stack of Chinese food containers we'd sent Ryan out to purchase. A morning's work would almost fill Ray's freezer, and I felt happier knowing Dad wouldn't be eating food from a cardboard box.

"I'm exhausted," I laughed flopping onto the sofa once the food was packaged, labeled and sitting on the counter cooling.

"I'm not surprised. You've cooked like two months' worth of dinners," Christian commented, sitting beside me. "Did you want to relax and watch a movie?"

"Or there's a game about to start," Ray suggested hopefully.

"I'll get the beers," Christian volunteered after a confirming nod from me.

* * *

"Thanks for having me, Ray," Christian said shaking Dad's hand on Sunday morning then carrying our bags out to the SUV, giving Daddy and me a moment alone together.

"I like him, Annie. He seems to treat you well."

"He does, Dad."

"Well just remember you're still young. No need to rush into anything. Take your time with things."

"I will," I promised, kissing Dad on the cheek before climbing into the back of the SUV beside Christian.

"Good weekend?" Christian asked as Ryan drove us back toward Seattle.

"The best," I replied, snuggling against Christian. "Especially last night!"

Christian snorted. Last night had found us having silent sex in my bedroom. Knowing Daddy was a few rooms along made it all the more illicit – there was _no_ way I wanted my father hearing Christian's passion or worse still – my own!

"Hmm – it was nice seeing what my teenaged self missed out on," Christian teased, referring to having sex in my admittedly still rather girly bedroom. I hadn't lived in Montesano since I left for college, so I'd never redecorated.

"Shhh," I said, blushing and glancing at the back of Ryan's head pointedly. But that just made Christian laugh more.

"So, Miss Steele. Are you ready to go car shopping? I moved our appointments to today if you're up for it? I thought we could start at Volvo?"

"Absolutely!" I grinned. A new car would be the perfect end to the perfect weekend.


	24. Chapter 24

"I don't want Kate to know just how bad it was. Can you just get one of your contacts to install an alarm? I want top of the line. Window sensors, motion detectors. The best there is."

"So you said your _ex-girlfriend_ broke in," Elliot asked, much more interested in the fact I was admitting to a previous relationship than the fact the woman in question had broken into Ana and Kate's apartment and trashed Ana's room. "Was she your first?"

I scoffed.

"Elliot – just because I haven't chosen to flaunt it through all Seattle, I'm not celibate, nor am I gay. I've had a number of… long-term female partners… over the years. Not really girlfriends. More like fuck-buddies."

"So this Leila? Was she a fuck-buddy? For how long?"

"Yes, and for about nine months. I stopped seeing her because she wanted more."

"More?"

"A relationship."

"And is Ana also a fuck-buddy? Because dude, from what Kate said, she really doesn't seem that type of girl…"

"She isn't!" I snapped. "I love her, El. I think she's it."

"It? Do you mean _marriage?!"_ he gaped.

Did I mean marriage? I think I probably did. I was in love with Ana, and I didn't want to contemplate a life without her in it.

"I know it's early days, but I'm thinking about it. Ana gets me in a way no one else ever has," I said, aware of the fact I sounded like a fucking tacky Hallmark greeting card.

"I'm really happy for you, man. She seems nice."

Elliot and I both took a swig of beer. It was just after four on Monday afternoon, and he'd stopped by my office after arriving back in town with Kate. While I didn't usually drink at work, it had been a few weeks since I'd seen Elliot, and I felt the need for a DMC with my brother.

"If your ex is a stalker, and Ana is staying with you for safety, is it ok for Kate to stay at the unit?" Elliot asked. "Maybe I should go stay there with her. Just for safety's sake…"

"And you expect me to believe that's the _only_ reason?"

Elliot almost deflated in front of my eyes.

"A whole fucking beach of women in bikinis, and I just wasn't interested," he lamented. "Not even a partial stiffy or for a quick blow job. I think Kate Kavanagh's ruined me."

"That bad?" I smirked in understanding. Ana had done much the same for me. I doubt a parade of gorgeous, sexy submissives would warrant even a twitch of my cock, these days.

"Worse," he groaned. "She's funny and full of energy and knows exactly what she wants. And she doesn't put up with anything; she calls me out on my bullshit."

"Sounds like hell," I joked.

"It is!" Elliot grumbled. "And she's a fucking freak between the sheets. I mean – that girl can get me zero to one-hundred in about thirty seconds."

"We're two very lucky guys," I said, holding my beer up to Elliot.

"I know," he replied, apparently shocked to be looking down the barrel of monogamy and a committed relationship, and for the first time not running in terror.

* * *

"You want to _what?"_ Gail asked, looking at me as though I'd grown another head. Naked women cuffed and in chains all over my apartment? Not a raised eyebrow. Cleaning used sex-toys? All part of the job. But ask the woman for a little help planning a meal, and suddenly you'd think I'd asked her to blow me while cooking filet mignon!

"I want to cook dinner for Ana. From scratch. Just something simple," I said stiffly, starting to blush. I knew this was a bad idea!

"Of course. Sorry, sir, you've just never expressed an interest in cooking before. What did you have in mind?"

"Something easy," I replied, still embarrassed. "I want to show Ana I'm willing to make an effort."

Gail turned away to the fridge, but not before I saw her grin.

"What about a grilled chicken salad?" she suggested, turning around again with her hands full of ingredients. "It's quick and easy. You can prepare the bulk of it beforehand, so all you need to do is grill the chicken, cut it, and toss it through the salad."

"Is that the one you make sometimes? With the cherry tomatoes? I like that one."

"It is," Gail replied, seemingly pleased that I remembered the dish. "We could do a trial run now if you'd like?"

"I was thinking of giving it a go tomorrow. I doubt Ana would want it twice in one week…"

It was Tuesday morning, and Elliot's conversation the afternoon before had got me thinking. I wanted to show Ana I was prepared to go outside my comfort zone for her. Her gentle ribbing over the weekend about my lack of cooking expertise had given me the perfect avenue to try to impress – hence my current morning at home and questions to Mrs. Jones.

"The security staff always need feeding," she assured me. "I can give it to them. Let's give it a go."

The next hour found me slicing tomatoes, olives, purple onion, cucumber, herbs and spiced feta under Mrs. Jones' excellent tutelage. Gail also showed me how to ribbon the lettuce and then how to prepare the chicken and use the grill. She made me do it all, taking copious notes for me to follow. By the time I cut the grilled chicken breast and tossed it through the salad, I was quietly confident I could do it all again.

"Good job, Mr. Grey," Gail complimented. "Now have you thought about dessert?"

"Dessert?!" I moaned. The chicken salad was going to be enough of a challenge!

"What about an apple, sultana and brown sugar strudel with cream?"

"It sounds complicated," I growled.

"I can make that in advance," Gail assured me. "It will be just cut and pour the cream."

"I can do that," I agreed, quietly optimistic that tomorrow night I'd make Ana a delicious dinner. I wanted it to be good because yesterday over breakfast Ethan had announced he was flying home to tie things up ahead of moving to Seattle. With Ana's room at the unit presently completely empty, and Kate staying there with Elliot staying 'for safety,' it seemed the perfect time to suggest Ana move in with me.

"Mrs. Jones? I know you were originally employed to look after a bachelor with weekend guests, but as you've no doubt noticed, Miss Steele is here more often. I'm considering asking Ana to move in with me. I wanted to ask how you felt about that…"

This time Gail didn't even try to conceal her smile.

"Mr. Grey? I like Miss Steele very much. I'd be delighted if she chose to move in."

"I understand it would represent more work for you. I'm prepared to renegotiate our present arrangement."

"Mr. Grey? Having Miss Steele here has been a joy. I hope she says yes."

"So do I," I replied morosely. "I just hope she can see past all the bullshit and say yes."

Gail was Jason Taylor's partner, and as such was no doubt fully aware of the situation with Leila and Jack. She was too discreet to say anything to me, yet I trusted her judgment.

"Just be yourself, Mr. Grey," she advised, giving me a decidedly motherly squeeze of the hand. "You love Miss Steele, and she loves you. Don't think too much beyond that."

"Do you think that's enough?"

"Mr. Grey? The way you love Miss Steele will _always_ be enough."

* * *

"Cancel everything from 3:00 pm onwards," I ordered, emerging from the elevator at 8:00 am Wednesday morning.

"But you have the Illinois group arriving today," Andrea grumbled. "They've come in especially, and you're due to meet with them until six!" I could see Andrea and her offsider starting to panic.

"Get Ros to deal with them. I need an early afternoon alone at home."

I walked into my office without breaking stride. I had a list of ingredients in my suit jacket, thanks to Gail, and I'd given the staff the afternoon and night off. The photographer would be arriving sometime in the afternoon to install Ana's pictures, and once he left, I'd be cooking for Ana and inviting her to move in with me.

I couldn't wait. I was nervous, but I knew it was what I wanted, and it worked for all of us. Ethan was moving to Seattle, and it made sense for him to live rent free with Kate at the unit his parents had bought. Elliot had all but admitted cohabitation with Kate was on his mind, so she may soon be moving to his apartment, anyway. And I already knew I wanted Anastasia to live fulltime with me.

* * *

Who knew there were so many different types of onions? White, brown, red, imported, domestic. I mean for fuck's sake! I was standing in the produce section, running my hands through my hair in exasperation. So many onions and none of them labeled _purple._ Where the hell did Gail get them from? Maybe I needed to go to a specialty grocery store to find them?

I was going to ask the produce attendant, but he was about fifteen and looked as though he'd be even less clued in than I was. So looking around, I picked my mark – a friendly looking woman in her late fifties inspecting the cantaloupe.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," I started, giving her my most charming smile. "I'm cooking something for my girlfriend, and the recipe calls for a purple onion. This one _looks_ the same as the one I practiced with, but here it calls it red. Is it the same thing?"

The matronly woman perked up, smiling at me indulgently.

"Yes. It's called a red or purple onion. What are you making?"

"Grilled chicken salad with an apple, sultana and brown sugar strudel," I proudly announced.

"Well doesn't _that_ sound lovely! She must be quite the young lady if you're going to such an effort," she replied with a kind smile.

"She is! Thanks so much."

The rest of the list was quite straightforward, after that, so by 4:00 pm I was on my way back to Escala with my ingredients. I wasn't expecting Ana home until around 5:30, so that would give me an hour and a half to prepare our meal. I wanted a little extra time to set the table with flowers and wine. A crisp, fruity Sancerre, I think. Ana usually preferred that to something more full-bodied.

I pulled up into the garage, parking in one of my allocated spots and heading to the elevator. I know a salad wasn't much compared to what Anastasia could cook, but I hope the fact I'd shopped and made it from scratch would be enough to show her how much I cared. I, Christian Grey, had braved a supermarket to hunt and forage for my woman!

The doors to the elevator opened, and I walked through to the kitchen with my purchases. I'd only just put them on the counter when the apartment's security phone started ringing. I waited for Gail or someone to pick it up, when I realized I'd given them the afternoon and evening off, so I was here alone.

"Penthouse," I barked picking up the handset, answering in the way I'd seen Mrs. Jones do in the past – although it must be said she was always more friendly sounding than I'd been.

"This is José Rodriguez. I'm here to install some artwork for Mr. Christian Grey?"

"This is Grey. Come through and park in a guest bay near the elevator. I'll get security to help you bring them up."

I was trying to remember the number for the Escala's security when I heard voices from further within the apartment. Before I could work out who it was, or what was being said, Ana came barrelling down the hallway, all but skidding to a stop when she saw me.

"I can't believe I _trusted_ you! Has this been going on the whole time?" she screamed at me.

"Ana? What's wrong?! Has _what_ been going on?!"

"Don't LIE to me. I loved you. With everything I am. I should have known you'd be up to your old tricks the second my back was turned!"

"Ana?! I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, trying to reason with her. I reached out to touch her, but she shrank from me as though my touch were poison.

"FUCK YOU, Christian Grey!" she screamed at me, tears coursing down her beautiful face. "Or better yet – fuck the mostly naked brunette submissive currently on her knees near the doorway of your playroom!"

And before I could stop her, Ana was in the elevator being whisked downstairs. I was standing in the kitchen still trying to work out what was going on. What the hell was Ana talking about? And why was she here in the middle of the day? She should be at work? And finally, why did Ana believe there was someone in my playroom? I was turning to the elevator to follow her when the scent hit me. Jasmine, with a hint of patchouli. There was only one woman I knew who wore that blend. I turned back to the hallway to see Leila standing there naked except for a pair of white cotton panties.

"That wasn't a very nice way to speak to You," she commented as she sank to her knees on the marble. "Master would have punished me had _i_ ever spoken to You like that."


	25. Chapter 25

One blessing of having security around all the time was having someone to drive me. I'd ended up deciding on a Volvo C30 to replace the Audi, but since Christian wanted it kitted out with every possible safety option, it wasn't arriving for another week. Not that I felt much like driving. I had a headache and was feeling queasy. There were only a few hours of the work day left, but I decided to call it quits. I rang Ryan who came out of the SIP security office and escorted me downstairs to the garage where we were joined by Harris.

"Thanks for this, guys," I said as I climbed into the back of the SUV. Hopefully, an hour or two at home lying in bed in the dark would make me feel better. I wanted to close my eyes as I was driven, but I had a feeling it wouldn't help my stomach, so instead, I looked out as we passed through the city. The ride was short, and in no time, we were in the lift on the way up to the penthouse. The place was blissfully silent, and all I wanted to do was rest.

Smothering a yawn, I dismissed Ryan and Harris. Christian had agreed I didn't need security once I was in the penthouse, so after promising them I was in for the rest of the evening I gave them permission to leave. Walking through to our bedroom, I kicked off my shoes, closed the blinds, so the room was dark, and climbed onto the bed. I must have been tired because I was out like a light as soon as my head touched the pillow.

* * *

I opened my eyes. I'd heard a male voice coming from the kitchen. It sounded like Christian, but I had no idea why he'd be home from work at 4:15. Getting off the bed, I slipped my shoes on and turned to the mirror to straighten my hair. If it was Christian, I wanted to look my best for him.

Stepping out into the hallway, I was surprised to see the door to the playroom open, soft light spilling from its interior. Perhaps Mrs. Jones was cleaning in there today? I hadn't seen her when I'd come in, but the apartment was huge, so she could have been in one of the other rooms or her quarters.

My shoes making no noise on the thick carpet, I walked towards the door, stopping in shock at what I saw as I peered through the doorway. There, kneeling beside the door, eyes downcast and wearing nothing but panties, was a dark-haired woman. She was thin, almost painfully so, but with her hair in a braid, and sitting back on her heels, she somehow looked comfortable and at home. As though there was nowhere else she'd rather be than kneeling on the wooden floor.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my brain befuddled.

"I'm waiting for my Master. He needs me. This is where i always wait when He calls."

" _When he calls?"_

"Master has needs," she explained almost cryptically. "Needs i can satisfy for Him."

From the kitchen, I heard Christian's voice, and suddenly it all became crystal clear. All his words of love and constancy were false. The whole time we'd been together, Christian had obviously still had a submissive. My early arrival home today had interrupted his booty-call!

It was all I could do not to vomit. The brunette by my feet gave me a victorious smile before lowering her eyes back to the floor, no doubt witnessing my feet retreating as they carried me down the hallway and out to where Christian stood.

"I can't believe I _trusted_ you! Has this been going on the whole time?" I screamed.

"Ana? What's wrong?! Has _what_ been going on?!"

"Don't LIE to me. I loved you. With everything I am. I should have known you'd be up to your old tricks the second my back was turned!"

"Ana?! I don't know what you're talking about," Christian pleaded. He tried to touch me, but I recoiled. All I could think of was his hands on _her,_ doing the things I wouldn't let him do to me.

"FUCK YOU, Christian Grey! Or better yet – fuck the mostly naked brunette submissive currently on her knees near the doorway of your playroom!" I shouted, striding to the elevator and getting in, ignoring Christian as the doors closed. I didn't even notice I was crying until I caught my reflection in the mirrored elevator walls. I'd pressed basement from force of habit, for all the good it would do me. I'd left my handbag upstairs, and I didn't have a car here, anyway.

The lift doors opened, with an unexpected sight. José Rodriguez standing by his van, the tailgate open. I'd forgotten he was coming to install my portraits today. He lifted his eyes, and they met mine, taking in my distressed state.

"Ay mi querida Ana, ahora que te ha echo?" he murmured. I didn't know what it meant, but nonetheless, it sounded comforting.

"José?" I said, completely falling apart now there was a friendly face. "Can you please drive me somewhere? I don't have a car…"

Without saying another word, José closed the tail of his van, opening the passenger door for me.

"Let's get you out of here," he soothed. "Where do you want to go? Should I take you to your unit?"

"No. Just drive," I pleaded, wanting to be gone by the time Christian followed me downstairs. I didn't care where we went as long as it wasn't here. Besides, I knew Christian's brother Elliot was staying at the unit with Kate, and I didn't want to chance seeing him.

Firing up the engine, José drove to the garage exit. I sighed in relief as the automatic roller door lifted and he pulled out onto the street. He didn't say anything, just drove for about twenty minutes, finally pulling up in a parking lot facing the beach. It was sunny out, and there was a kiosk with some outdoor seating.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," I said, knowing there was no way I could explain without breaking my non-disclosure agreement.

"Then let's get something to drink and enjoy the sunshine," he tempted gesturing to the kiosk.

"I didn't bring my handbag," I sniffed.

"It's ok. My treat today," José offered.

We stepped out of the van, walking to the kiosk. José looked at the menu, but I'd wanted fries the second I smelled them. Placing our order, we sat at one of the tables shaded by a beach umbrella.

"I'm really sorry about your portraits," he started. "I wasn't originally going to include them in the exhibition. But when you started dating Grey, I figured you'd bring him to the exhibition and seeing how hung up he was on you, I thought he was bound to buy one. I really needed the money for college, but I should never have taken them without your permission or offered them up for sale. I know that now."

I shrugged. I doubt Christian would want seven pictures of an ex-girlfriend on his wall, but José might as well benefit from my short-lived romance with Seattle's most eligible bachelor.

"You betrayed my trust," I explained, thinking José's crime was nowhere near as bad as Christian's. "Just promise me you won't do it again."

"That I _can_ promise," he said with a grin.

We spent a few minutes catching up on the latest gossip, José intentionally keeping it light. Being a year behind Kate and me, José was at college for another year, so was still in touch with a lot of our other friends. Our order number was called, and José fetched it. Fries and a soda for me, a burger for him. The fries were fabulous, thick cut and chunky. I dunked each liberally in ketchup, and couldn't get them down fast enough.

"Whoa! When did you last eat? And since when did you eat ketchup? I thought you hated the stuff?"

"This morning. I was feeling queasy at lunchtime, so skipped lunch," I confessed. "And I do hate ketchup – I just had a craving for it," I said looking at the ketchup coated fry in surprise.

"Hmm – queasy and weird cravings. Not pregnant, are you?" he teased.

"Don't even joke about it," I groaned. Thank God I was on the pill!

We finished our food, and then José suggested a walk along the beach. I knew I was going to have to face Christian sometime, even if it were just to collect my handbag and personal items from Escala, but right now it was nice being in the sun chatting with my friend. We'd reached the end of the beach and were turning back toward the van when José's phone rang.

"José speaking." He listened for a moment, before turning to face me. He held the phone out. "It's Gail Jones to speak to you," he said.

Why would Gail be ringing me? Probably to do Christian's dirty work for him. No doubt she'd already packed up my things and was probably calling to let me know where I could collect them. I took the phone and walked off a little way, out of José's earshot.

"Ana? Whatever you think today was about you're wrong," she quickly said. "Mr. Grey was at home early because he wanted to make you dinner. He even practiced cooking with me yesterday morning. He was just as surprised as you to find Miss Williams there."

"So that was _Leila?"_ I gasped, my mind playing catch-up with all Gail had just told me. Why in the hell did that not occur to me earlier?!

"Yes. Mr. Grey was able to keep her talking until Jason arrived. Jason and Dr. Flynn are with her now, and she's being admitted to a psychiatric facility. Mr. Grey is here waiting for you to return. He's going out of his mind with worry."

"Then how come _he_ didn't call?" I growled, unsure how I felt now I knew what had happened.

"I convinced Mr. Grey to let me try," Gail said sounding a little uncomfortable. "I didn't think you'd take his call, but I hoped you'd take mine and that you'd know I wouldn't lie to you."

"So, this whole thing has been a stupid misunderstanding?" I said, bursting into tears. Now I felt horrible about the things I'd said to Christian.

"It has. Please, Ana. Just come home, and Mr. Grey will explain it all. He's desperate to see you."

"Ok," I whispered. "Tell him I'll be there soon."

I hung up and walked back to José handing him his cell.

"I am such an idiot," I said, still crying. "It's a long story, and I promise I'll tell you about it some time, but for now could you take me back to Escala?"

"Your wish is my command," José joked gallantly. "But Ana? Are you sure everything is ok? You know you can talk to me, right?"

"I do, thanks, José. And I am ok."

The trip back to Escala was quiet. I wasn't sure how Christian was going to react when he saw me. José pulled into the underground garage and back to the spot he'd occupied a few hours earlier. The vehicle had barely come to a stop when Christian came charging out of the lift, spotting the van and opening my door for me.

"Baby," he moaned as I stepped out, pulling me hard up against him and burying his face in my hair.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, cuddling against his chest and breathing in the wonderful scent that was uniquely Christian. José took his time getting out of the van, giving us our moment of privacy together. Finally remembering my manners, I turned to him, still cuddled in Christian's arms.

"Thank you so much for this afternoon, José," I said smiling shyly.

"I'm just happy to see you smiling again," he said lightly.

"Yes. Thank you for taking care of my girl," Christian said, reaching out to shake José's hand. It wasn't friendly, but it wasn't _openly_ antagonistic.

"Always happy to see an old mate," José said. "Did you still want me to install these pictures today? If so, I'll need to get a move on – I have a date tonight." Christian looked much happier when he heard that.

"Don't worry about it. Maintenance can put them up. Would you like to come up for a drink?" Christian offered.

"Next time," José replied, knowing Christian and I needed to talk.

Christian nodded, using his cell to call someone from the building to take the portraits.

"I'll see you later, Steele," José said as Christian and I stepped into the lift. "Nice to see you again Mr. Grey." And then the lift doors closed, and we were swept away upstairs.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again into the silence between us.

"No _I'm_ sorry," Christian replied. "I'm sorry my fucked up past has made you run again."

"I should have given you the chance to explain…"

Christian shrugged. "I'm surprised you even took Gail's call. I'm not sure I would in the same circumstances. When I think that you were alone in the apartment with Leila..." Christian trailed off shuddering.

"I took her call because I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to believe it was anything but you cheating on me."

Christian pulled me into his arms again.

"It's you, baby. It's only ever going to be you." He pressed his lips against mine in a soft kiss. The doors to the lift opened, and we stepped out, hand in hand. "We found out where she was hiding and how she was so good at evading us. It's over, now. Let's have a bath, and I'll explain everything."


	26. Chapter 26

She was here. Back! Gail was getting a raise tomorrow. Taylor, too! Ana and I walked together through the apartment, into our room and then through to the bathroom. I wanted to grab her and claim her immediately, but I knew enough to wait. We needed to talk this out. So I ran a bath, pouring in the bath oils I knew Ana enjoyed. Then I walked through to _our_ bedroom, closing the curtains and preparing it for us after our ablutions.

Ana was almost shy as she stripped and climbed into the tub, but she obligingly scooted forward, giving me room to step in behind her. I laid back against the bath, pulling her to rest against my chest, her head lolling at the juncture of my shoulder and neck. After the hours of panic while she was gone, it felt delicious.

"I had no idea Leila was going to be here this afternoon," I started, wanting that out there from the outset. "Mrs. Jones showed me how to cook a meal. I was here because I wanted to cook for you."

"Cook?"

"I wanted to take care of you," I admitted. _"Feed_ you."

I didn't dare go further. Explain to her I wanted to ask her to move in with me. With things already so precarious, I didn't feel it was right to lob that in there, too.

"So you came home to cook?" Ana clarified.

"Yep," I confirmed, kissing her nape. "Tuesday morning when we went to work, Taylor and I dropped you at SIP and looped back to Escala so Mrs. Jones could give me a cooking lesson. She showed me how to make a simple meal, and we worked out a shopping list. I left work at 3:00 pm today, went to a supermarket, had to ask a lady for assistance in produce about _onions_ , and got home minutes before you saw me."

"I didn't occur to me it was _Leila,"_ Ana explained. "A woman was there, in your playroom…" she trailed off, but I could hear and feel her pain. "The penthouse was meant to be secure… Only security and you knew the passcode…"

"You didn't know the passcode?" I asked, distracted from the rest of my explanation.

Ana shrugged. "I was always with you or security. No one told me, so I figured I did not need to know." She sounded almost ashamed, but it's me who should feel that way. I swore under my breath. As far as I was concerned, as the apartment's primary occupants, me, Ana, Gail, and Taylor were the only people needing to know the primary code for the penthouse. As of tomorrow, Ana would _always_ have the code to access our space; assuming she wanted to share it with me.

"Leila was getting information from Olivia in my office. Some time ago, Leila was in the GEH garage and befriended her. Olivia parks in a spot reserved for the executive team, so she knew Olivia had access to me. That's how Leila was able to find out your home address, where you work, and even that I was going to be home this afternoon."

"Why would she do that? Surely Olivia knew what she was doing was wrong?"

I growled under my breath, recollecting my conversation with Olivia an hour and a half before.

"She said at first she felt sorry for Leila. When they started chatting, Leila knew enough about me, my home, staff, and habits to convince Olivia she genuinely knew me. Leila told Olivia she was an ex-girlfriend, and she was curious about you, so Olivia gave her information about how to find you. It wasn't until Leila trashed your car and you came to GEH that Olivia tried to stop, but Leila blackmailed her, threatening to tell me Olivia been passing along information if she didn't continue to do so. So when she asked, Olivia accessed my phone for the penthouse codes, and messaged her to let her know I would be home this afternoon."

Ana nodded, relaxing as I gently washed her arms. "So what did Leila _want?"_ she asked with reluctance. "Other than a session in the playroom with you?"

"She wanted to know why I wanted more with you and not her. She's having a mental breakdown, so she wasn't making a lot of sense."

"So, you didn't…?"

"Of course not!" I growled, fighting to stop my anger getting the better of me. "She's _sick,_ Ana. And I don't want to be with anyone but _you._ I messaged Taylor immediately who contacted Dr. Flynn. They're taking her to a psychiatric facility now. She needs professional help and a lot of it."

I didn't, and would never, tell Ana how Leila had desperately tried to coax me into a scene, nor how badly it had affected me to see someone I once spent every weekend with so broken. But Leila semi-naked kneeling at my feet had repulsed me. I couldn't feel an attraction for anyone, now, but Ana.

"So why did she come to _you?"_

Flynn and I had speculated about this in the past, and Leila today had confirmed what he'd suspected.

"Her life is spinning out of control," I explained. "She saw a picture of you and me, figured I was giving _more_ a try, and hoped I would give it a go with her. She was desperate for someone to take charge. Someone she trusted to take over and make all the decisions, so she didn't have to."

"And she wanted you to do that because you'd done it for her before," Ana remarked shrewdly. As usual, the insightful Miss Steele had managed to hit the nail on the head. "Will you be seeing her again?"

I shook my head, making a sound in my throat indicating no.

"I'm paying for her to get the help she needs, but she's part of my past. I want to focus on my future. A future I want you to be a part of."

Ana was quiet after that, so I washed her gently, showing her my love through actions, not words. Stepping out of the bath, we toweled down silently side by side. We dressed, Ana choosing loose pajamas, so I followed suit. Back out in the main room, Gail had set out a steaming hot meal for us on the counter, but was nowhere to be seen. As always, I appreciated her understanding of the situation and her discretion. The woman was a saint.

"Thank you for making an effort with José today," Ana said, twirling her fork in the creamy fettuccine with chicken and leek. She looked up at me from under her long lashes, and I knew what she meant.

"I'm glad he was there for you," I replied lightly, knowing Taylor would keep my secret that I was ranting and raving about Ana going anywhere with the fucker. Taylor had, rightly in this case, pointed out it was better the devil we knew. "Did you resolve things?" I asked, trying not to sound overbearing or suspicious.

"Yes. I explained how what he did betrayed my trust. He's promised never to do it again."

"So things are good between you?"

She nodded, looking calm but quiet.

"And what about us?" I held my breath, waiting for her to answer. She looked up at me, a shy little smile on her lips.

"Things are good from my side. What about you?" she checked.

I grinned, standing up and pulling her seated form into my arms. She rested her head against my chest as I kissed her hair.

"Things are good," I confirmed.

"You're not angry about what I did? I know I should have given you a chance to explain…"

"You're here now, and you did," I soothed not wanting to fight.

"Are you ok if I stay tonight? I know it's safe now Leila has been caught, but I don't even have a bed in the unit. Besides, I want to feel close to you."

I closed my eyes, mentally telling myself 'no guts no glory.' Giving her hair a final kiss, I stepped back, pulling my stool closer to Ana's and sitting before grabbing her hand.

"Actually, before this happened, that's what I'd planned to speak with you about over dinner. I know it's only been a few weeks, and you were staying here because of the Leila situation, but I've loved having you living with me. Everything was destroyed at the unit, so there's nothing left to move back to. There's still Jack to consider, so security wise it will be safer to live here with me – especially with the security enhancements that are going to occur because of what happened today. Ethan is moving to Seattle and hopes to live in the Pike Market district. It makes sense for him to live in his parent's unit with Kate – and you could move in here with me."

"They are all good reasons," Ana said, looking up at me slowly. "Are they the _only_ ones?"

I stopped considering her words. Was there any other reason?

"And I love you," I added. "Having you here makes me happy. I want to come home every day knowing you'll be here. I want to fall asleep in our bed here together every night. I've never felt this way before. I'm ready to take the next step towards more. I hope you are, too."

I leaned forward hopefully, brushing my lips against hers.

"Yes."

"Yes?" I said pulling back to check her eyes.

"Yes," Ana giggled with a sweet smile. "Yes, yes, yes!"

I couldn't help myself – I picked Ana up and spun her around in a circle before pulling her to me.

"You won't regret it, baby! You're going to love it, here. You need your own study, so how about we shop for a desk for the library? Unless you'd rather a study in another room that is," I continued, offering up any of the guest rooms for her personal space. "We should also redecorate. Mia's always said this place needs a woman's touch."

Ana giggled in a way that was truly adorable. "Mia would say anything for an excuse to go shopping."

She was right about that. Still, I wanted Ana to feel at home here. I wanted to make a home here with her. I'd speak with Gail about changes we could do to make it a bit more welcoming.

"That's true. Still, we'll need things for your study, and I thought we could pick a room for your father for when he visits? One of the ones not _too_ close to ours." Silent lovemaking in Ana's bedroom had been a new experience, but I didn't want to worry about my girl's father hearing us any time he might stay over.

Ana's eyes bulged. "I'll have to tell Daddy we're living together," she gasped. "He'll know we're sharing a room. A _bed!"_

"We slept together at his house when we visited," I reminded her. "He knows I love you and that I want to be with you."

"I guess," she said, still looking a little uncertain. "And I'll have to tell Kate…"

"Don't worry about Kate. I wouldn't be surprised if Elliot asks her to move in with him, soon."

"Really?"

I shrugged, not particularly interested in Elliot and Kate's domestic arrangements beyond it helping me convince Ana that moving in with me was a good idea. "He came to see me on Monday afternoon. He seems pretty hung up on her."

"Kate said her family love him. Her father has already asked him to call him 'Dad.'"

I privately wondered whether Eamon Kavanagh would be so keen for Elliot to join the family if he knew how many women he'd slept with? But then, according to Ana and the lengthy list of 'prior romantic interests' on Katherine Agnes Kavanagh's background check, Kate might be Elliot's match in that regard, too!

"Speaking of family, Mom left a message. She wants us at a family dinner on Saturday night."

"Saturday night? I thought she usually did Sunday lunch?"

I shrugged. "She said she was inviting Kate and Elliot, too, and Mia will be there. She was excited to have us all over for a big family meal."

"Maybe we can announce we're moving in together then?" Ana suggested. "I'll need to tell Kate first, so I don't blindside her, but it's a good opportunity?"

"That sounds perfect," I agreed, thrilled to think how proud I would be to announce to my family that Anastasia Rose Steele had agreed to make her home with me.

* * *

I was sitting in my office Thursday morning, sipping my second cup of coffee for the day. Andrea was a little overrun. Olivia had been terminated minutes after I'd discovered her role in the whole Leila debacle the afternoon before, so Andrea was holding down the fort alone. Consequently, I'd got coffee for myself. It had taken me five minutes to work out how to use the coffee machine, and it still wasn't as good as the one Andrea usually made me. Who knew you needed a fricken Ph.D. or equivalent to work one of those fuckers?

Running my eyes over some spreadsheets, I was paying minimal attention, my mind wandering back to the glorious evening of lovemaking Ana and I had enjoyed last night. After Leila, and José, and then Ana's decision to move in with me, I think we both needed a night of intimate satisfaction to reconnect us. We'd talked, made love, played, watched TV, and talked again until finally, for the first time _,_ we'd fallen asleep together in the apartment we now called _ours._

My Blackberry rang with Ana's dedicated ringtone. I was still smiling, remembering the night before as I picked up.

"Christian!" Ana wailed. "Why did I have to find out from _Mia_ that it's your birthday on Saturday, and the 'family dinner' your mother has organized is for over thirty people?!"

Oh shit. It wasn't that I had forgotten to tell Ana. I'd simply forgotten it was my birthday. My family knew I didn't usually choose to mark it, but I guess with Ana in the picture, Mom had decided to go all out.


	27. Chapter 27

One blessing of Mia Grey's non-stop chatter is that you're not expected to say much. Thursday morning, she called me at work to ask me what color I was wearing to Christian's birthday party on Saturday night at his parents' house, as she didn't want to clash.

His _birthday party?!_ I could murder him! Thankfully by the time Mia had finished her prattle, I'd managed to compose myself to go with it – as if I'd known the whole time Saturday's party at the Grey's was for Christian's birthday.

"Mia! I was going to call you this morning. I wasn't sure of the dress code. I asked Christian, but you know _men…_ He said whatever I felt like would be fine." I managed to sound upbeat and confident, not blindsided and furious.

After a ten-minute description of the two dresses Mia was agonizing between, I had enough information to get a sense of the dress code, so I gave her carte-blanche to wear whatever color she wanted, confident in the knowledge my new Christian-ordered wardrobe contained at least ten dresses suitable for the occasion. I terminated the call, but not before asking Mia to give Grace my numbers, with a request for her to call me to let me know what I should bring.

It was quiet at SIP, so I took a few moments to consider what the _hell_ could I buy a billionaire? Christian had more money than almost anyone. Anything I could afford to buy him, he could afford to buy something ten times better. I was almost hyperventilating at my desk by the time Casey arrived.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes regarding me shrewdly.

"It's Christian's birthday on Saturday, and I have _no_ idea what to get him…"

"Well, what does he want?" Casey prompted.

"Nothing," I wailed. "If he wants something, he just gets it!"

"He must need _something,"_ she argued.

"Not really."

"Then you'll have to go the sentimental route," she suggested. "If you can't buy a man something he wants or needs, you need to give him something to treasure."

I groaned. Even with my income from my job at SIP, I was in a completely different ballpark financially when it came to gift giving. What could I possibly give Christian that wouldn't look pathetic? I had these horrible visions of standing in front of Christian's family and friends, presenting him the gift equivalent of a knick-knack box made out of popsicle sticks.

I was still feeling decidedly out of sorts when I rang Christian to 'discuss' the situation. After greeting him with a less than happy mouthful, I was surprised when Christian laughed.

"I'm sorry, baby. I had no idea Mom was planning a party. I didn't even remember it was my birthday until you said it."

"Really?" I blurted out in surprise. While my own birthdays had never been grandiose events, I'd always been quietly excited for the few days leading up to them. And I'd always had friends to share the day with, no matter how modestly.

Christian sighed, and it sounded as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"My birthday has always been… difficult… for me. My formative years are something that's painful for me to remember. I don't usually make a big deal about my birthday, but I guess now you're here, Mom has decided to mark the occasion."

"You didn't celebrate your _birthday?!"_ I reiterated sadly, my mind painting a picture of Christian alone on his special day of the year.

"I'll make up for it this year," he promised cheerfully, making me feel the onus of finding the perfect gift more than ever!

* * *

I was home an hour and a half earlier than Christian on Thursday night, so I used the time to try on the various cocktail dresses in my half of our new closet. I'd yet to ring Ray and inform him of my change of residence, and I intended to call Kate tonight.

With her internship at The Seattle Times, Kate's hours were variable, so I never knew when was a good time to call. Thankfully, I'd decided on a pretty baby-blue 1950s style flared cocktail dress with a cinched waist, thin belt, thick shoulder straps, and a bateau neckline, and was hanging it back in our wardrobe when Kate rang.

"Steele! Why did I only find out _today_ it's Christian's birthday on Saturday and we're expected at Bellevue for his party that night with the Greys?!"

I sighed before throwing myself in bra and panties back onto our bed, spilling the whole tale of Mia's call, and Christian's admission he'd never really marked his birthday before.

"I have _no_ idea of what to buy him," I wailed, hoping for some insight, but appreciating as a child of a very wealthy family, Kate probably didn't fully understand my dilemma. However, Kate surprised me by succinctly coming to the same conclusion Casey and I had.

"The guy is rich as hell. Anything he wants he'll buy himself, and there are ten people paid to anticipate his every need. You can't afford to go big, money wise, so it needs to be something thoughtful and emotional."

I ran through a few initial ideas, both of us nixing them. Kate promised to keep her thinking cap on, and I decided if I if I had the chance, I'd do the unthinkable. I'd question Gail!

"I do have something else to tell you," I said, a little apprehensively. Kate's pause was her cue for me to continue, so I quickly blurted out: "Christian asked me to move in with him, and I said yes."

I expected reticence. I expected censure. What I _didn't_ expect was Katherine Kavanagh to whoop ecstatically and squeal with delight.

"I _knew it!"_ she announced, sounding very pleased. "As soon as I heard you were staying at Escala with Christian while I was away, I knew!"

For the next few minutes, we chatted as I slowly dressed in casual clothing. Christian would be home, soon, and as sad as it was, I wanted to be there to greet him when he arrived.

"I've got to go, Kate," I explained seeing the clock was only minutes before Christian's usual arrival time. "I'll see you on Saturday."

Sure enough, only three minutes after I'd hung up and made my way to the great room, the elevator dinged heralding Christian and Taylor's arrival.

"Hey, gorgeous!" Christian greeted, coming over to the sofa where I was waiting with a book.

"Hey," I said shyly, standing up and stepping into his embrace. We cuddled for a few minutes before Christian kissed my forehead, stepping back.

"I'll just change," he said wandering off to our bedroom – and because I'd missed him so much, I tagged along in his wake.

"How was your day?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching as he took out his cufflinks and dumped them on the side of the dresser before stripping off his crisp, white business shirt.

"Fair," he said with a shrug of his shoulders, but I could see his gray eyes regarding me in the mirror covetously. "I missed you."

My face split into a grin. I'd missed Christian, too!

"I told Kate I was moving in with you," I offered, watching my man in the mirror to see his reaction.

And while many might have missed it, bare-chested as he was, I saw the subtle shift in Christian's muscles as he casually replied, "And what did she have to say about that?"

I giggled, thinking about the mostly prurient advice Kate had offered.

"She was pleased for us," I answered honestly. She'd been disappointed for me to move out, but as my best friend, Kate wanted me to be happy. And she knew that meant Christian.

"Really?"

"Yes really, Christian. She can tell how crazy I am about you."

" _Crazy,_ eh?" he teased, the corners of his lips curling up.

"Crazy!" I confirmed, wrapping my arms around his hips from behind.

Spinning around and grabbing me about the waist before twisting my in his arms, I ended up standing in front of Christian, his arms encompassing my waist from behind and his chin nestled in the crook of my shoulder as his eyes met mine in the mirror.

"Mrs. Jones doesn't usually have dinner ready for another hour…" he mentioned, grinning lasciviously at my understanding smile and nod.

* * *

Christian was still showering after our tryst. I'd showered first and quickly dressed, coming out to the great room. Finding Gail in the kitchen alone, I wasted no time approaching her about Christian's birthday.

"Gail? It's Christian's birthday on Saturday, and we're invited to a party at his parents' house. I only found out it was his birthday when his sister called me this morning. I have _no_ idea what to get him. The man has everything! I hate to ask, but you probably know him better than anyone. Do you have any ideas?"

I almost expected Gail to clam up, but she stood stirring a mild chicken curry on the range, her lips pursed as she considered.

"Well… He could do with a tray to put his watch and cufflinks in," she started. "As often as not of a morning when I clean his room, they're on the bathroom counter, or they've slipped onto the floor from his dresser. _Your_ dresser I mean," Gail said, quickly correcting herself.

"He told you he's asked me to move in?" I asked shyly, strangely apprehensive to be having this conversation with my boyfriend's domestic help.

"Mr. Grey was very nervous about asking you," Gail confirmed with an indulgent grin. "Jason and I were _delighted_ when he told us you'd decided to move here _._ Mr. Grey is a changed man since you came along, Ana."

I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks.

"So, a cufflink and watch tray?" I asked with uncertainty.

"Well he needs one," Gail said sweetly, turning back to the stovetop. A moment later I felt the tell-tale prickle of my skin and knew Christian was not far away.

"I hoped you'd join me in the shower," Christian whispered huskily, his voice soft against my ear as his arms snaked around me. I spun in his embrace.

"You've already got me dirty once tonight…"

"Anytime, anywhere, anyway, always," he crooned in my ear, repeating the words that had accompanied his red roses. Oh hell. I could feel my desire flooding the cotton panties I was wearing beneath my yoga pants. How could one man make me so consistently _wet?!_

"Mr. Grey? Miss Steele? Would you prefer to eat at the counter or the table tonight?"

Christian looked at me, waiting for me to take charge. He didn't say it, but I understood this was part of him welcoming me to the apartment. He wanted to demonstrate I had autonomy for these domestic arrangements.

"We'd like to eat at the counter tonight, Mrs. Jones," I said, shooting her a slightly wonky grin. "I'd like a glass of juice – cranberry or apple if you have it?" My eyes shifted to Christian, noticing his approving smile as I made my first requests of his, I mean _our,_ domestic staff. "Darling? What would you like to drink?"

"I'll have a Grüner Veltliner," Christian replied, speaking to Gail. "I think I have a Pichler-Krutzler I'd like to try."

I couldn't help but deflate, my previous confidence about deciding to eat at the counter shot out of the water. Despite Kate's admittedly higher-brow influences, my experience of wine was mostly limited to sweet and dry white, light and heavy red, and sparkling. I can remember a particularly humiliating incident in college at a party of rich kids when I'd innocently asked whether Rosé was a mixture of red and white wines.

If Christian did not notice my defeated expression, Gail certainly did.

"Wine is so tricky," she said conspiratorially, giving me a kind glance as she walked across to one of the glass-walled wine rooms between the kitchen and the formal dining. "Different temperatures, storage conditions, and recommended food pairings. It's taken me _ages_ to start to unravel it all, and it's still tricky. I have a good book I refer to," she said sweetly, shooting Christian a look. It took my man a moment to catch on.

"I have no real idea, either" he quickly lied. "It's like art – I just know what I like…"

"You don't have to lie to me," I told him as Gail was out of shot, searching for the particular wine Christian thought paired well with chicken curry.

I didn't dare tell him, but this sort of thing made me wonder, yet again, how Christian and I could have a future. I loved him – but how long until Christian was embarrassed by my lack of sophistication and finesse? I hadn't grown up wealthy. Until him, I'd dressed from inexpensive stores. I was economical, worked hard, and frankly, I was intimidated by many of those 'finer' things in life.

"It's from a site near the Danube river," Christian explained, misunderstanding my apprehension. "If you give it a try, I am sure you'll enjoy it," he coaxed, holding out the glass Gail had poured for him.

I took a sniff but begged off, citing a renewed headache and queasiness. And while it wasn't a lie, it was a relief when Gail put a heaping serve of chicken curry, vegetables and rice in front of each of us. Christian, with his ever-present issues about food, smiled and tucked in, and I followed suit. And for now, at least, everything was peaceful.


	28. Chapter 28

I was jolted awake as Ana hurtled toward the bathroom, making it in time to hang her head over the toilet as she vomited. It was still early on Friday morning, not long past six, yet I climbed out of bed, walking into the bathroom behind her.

"Get out," she groaned before hurling again. "You do _not_ need to see this!"

"Let me look after you," I begged. I hated the idea of Ana unwell and me not able to help her.

"Can you please get me some Advil and a cup of tea?" she groaned, still dry retching over the toilet bowl.

"Do you want something to eat?" I checked, only to be answered by another groan.

"No. Just tea. _Please!"_

I walked out into the kitchen, wearing nothing but my pajama pants, only to find Mrs. Jones already there. Our eyes met. I was surprised to see her here so early, and she was obviously startled to see me, particularly in a state of semi-undress.

"Good morning, Mrs. Jones," I finally got out, my good manners winning out over my surprise. "Miss Steele is not well. She's in our bathroom, but asked me to fetch her a cup of tea."

"Of course, Mr. Grey," she responded, always the consummate professional. "I'll make her a cup of tea and something bland to settle her stomach."

"Thank you." I stood at the counter, waiting for the kettle to boil, and watching as Mrs. Jones made some dry buckwheat toast. "I'll take Miss Steele through her breakfast," Gail said, indicating for me to sit at the counter.

"No, I'll take it," I objected.

Gail paused, and for perhaps the first time, she disagreed with something I'd requested.

"Mr. Grey, I very much doubt Miss Steele wants you to see her unwell. Please let me take her through a tray. Perhaps you'd like to run with Taylor - when you're back, I'll make you your omelet here."

I should argue, but as if on cue Taylor appeared wearing his running outfit, so I let myself be railroaded by my staff.

"I'll bring you your running gear Mr. Grey," Gail said, picking up the tray and disappearing in the direction of the bedroom I now shared with Ana. She was gone less than five minutes when she returned without the tray but with everything needed for my morning run.

"Miss Steele asked me to tell you she's still not feeling well. She's going to have her breakfast and then nap if she can. I'll have your breakfast ready here at 7:30."

"Is Miss Steele going to work?" I asked, wanting to ask Ana myself, but not wanting to disturb her.

"She said she'll see how she feels. I suspect once she's had food and a nap she'll probably feel fine."

But by the time I got back, Ana wasn't fine. She was asleep. Out to the count, and looking absolutely adorable, despite her pallor. I showered in the guest room bathroom before sneaking through our room and into the closet, blindly choosing a suit, shirt, and tie because I dared not turn on the light lest I wake her. I stood in the doorway, changing silently as I watched sleeping beauty. With the empty tray on her bedside, and curled up against my pillow, it was torture not being able to crawl into bed beside Ana. But I collected the tray and tiptoed out of our room, meeting Mrs. Jones in the kitchen.

"How is Miss Steele?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"Asleep. Please don't wake her. I'll call SIP and let them know she is unwell today. I know it's outside your job description, but can take care of her today? I hate to leave her when she's not a hundred percent."

I'd seriously considered staying home so I could attend to her, but there were a couple of meetings I just couldn't bail on.

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Grey," Gail replied in a reassuring tone that I knew was genuine. "Miss Steele is the lady of the house, now. I'd be delighted to take care of her until she's well again."

The lady of the house. Yes. Yes, she was! I liked the idea of Ana being firmly ensconced in my domestic life, and I was pleased to see Gail so readily accepting her in that role.

"Speaking of which," she pressed on, "would you like me to conduct my weekly housekeeping meetings with Miss Steele from now on? I thought it might make her feel more… in charge here?"

It hadn't occurred to me, but Gail had a point. Once a week we'd usually meet to discuss my plans for the upcoming week, any meal preferences or guests I was expecting and other social engagements. As I ate anything put in front of me, rarely entertained at the apartment, and was out at least once a week for business, it was usually a short meeting.

"I'd like that," I said. "Also, can you encourage Miss Steele to make this space more _ours?"_ I asked tentatively, returning to my idea of redecorating. "I know it's a bit masculine… I want Ana to feel this is her space, too."

"I'll do my best," Gail promised, as she served my usual coffee and egg white omelet.

* * *

I hadn't been at work more than an hour, but my thoughts kept turning to Ana. Hhmping in the middle of an admittedly important meeting, I silenced my senior executives and Ros by holding up a single finger. I picked up my phone, pressing a single digit to be connected to Andrea.

"Call Neil from Brilliant Bayside Blooms. I want five or six mixed bouquets sent over to Escala. Bright and colorful. Include a note to accompany them; _'Baby - I hope you're feeling better. I love you, Christian.'"_

I hung up, ignoring the smirk from Ros and the stunned expressions from my executive team. I nodded, allowing them to continue. But my mind was still on my penthouse a few blocks away.

I managed to get through the next few hours of meetings and calls, and before I knew it, it was 1:00 pm and Andrea was coming through to ask what I wanted for lunch.

"I might go home for lunch. Hang on."

I was going to ring Ana, but I didn't want to wake her if she was still sleeping, so I rang Mrs. Jones instead.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Mrs. Jones – how's Ana?"

She paused just for a moment before replying that she had perked up a little but had decided to spend the day at home.

"Good – I'll come home for lunch, then!"

"If you wish, sir, although Miss Steele said she was about to go back to bed and try to get some more rest."

"Has she eaten?" I asked.

"Yes. I made sure she had lunch," Gail said sounding very motherly. "And I put one of the bouquets of flowers in your room."

"Oh – they arrived. Did she like them?" I had no idea why I was nervous about that, but I was.

"She was very moved," Gail assured me.

"Well if Miss Steele is resting, I'll stay at work for lunch," I grumbled, disappointed I'd not get a chance to see Ana, even briefly.

"I think that's for the best, Mr. Grey," Gail quickly replied. "I'm sure she'll be feeling much better by the time you get home."

My afternoon was crawling along. More than once I thought about heading to Escala early and working from my office there. It was almost 5:00 pm when Andrea buzzed through.

"Mr. Grey? Mrs. Lincoln on line one."

I growled and pulled at my hair.

"Elena," I greeted tersely when I picked up.

"Christian, darling," she drawled in that saccharine sweet way of hers. "I just rang to see whether there have been any developments with Leila? Is she still on the loose and causing trouble?" While she was doing her best to sound concerned, I knew Elena well enough to know she loved the drama of it all.

"No. Leila was apprehended at Escala on Wednesday. She's in a psychiatric facility now," I explained brusquely, not wanting to dwell or feed Elena's morbid fascination.

"At Escala?! What was she doing there?" she gasped.

"She was kneeling on my playroom floor," I replied, choosing to omit the part about her meeting Ana, and the resulting situation.

"Oh, I'm sure Ana must have loved that… "

"Anastasia understands Leila is unwell, and has been nothing but supportive throughout the whole ordeal. Her compassion is one of the things I love most about her."

"Love?! Oh, Christian, men like you don't _love._ They demand, possess and conquer – but not _love._ Love is for fools. Please tell me you haven't deluded yourself into believing that you _love_ Ana?" There was desperation lurking beneath her mocking tone.

"Well better a fool than angry and alone," I responded, thinking about my own situation. However, Elena thought I was talking about her.

"I learned a long time ago; love is nothing but weakness. Take it from someone who knows you best – that's not for you. Besides, Christian, what makes you think someone like Ana could love you? Does she know everything you've done? Does she know why you like to tie up, punish and fuck slim brunettes?"

"She knows as much as she needs to!" I snapped. "And you don't know me at all. Not anymore. Now was there a purpose to this call?"

"Well, I was ringing to wish you a happy birthday for tomorrow. I know you can't be having your needs met by Ana, so I thought I could set up a scene for you at the club if you'd like? If you can slip away, have a gorgeous new submissive I thought you'd like. Pretty little thing, and she likes it hard. You wouldn't _have_ to be sexual with her if you didn't want to…"

The woman was delusional; as if I would choose to spend my birthday with some random submissive in that depressing subterranean hole of a club when I could be with Ana. Sure, there was the party at my parents' house, but after that, I was going to take Ana back to Escala, and I intended to celebrate my birthday by being balls deep in the beautiful, sexy woman I was in love with. I could feel myself hardening just at the thought of it.

"I'm not interested, Elena. Besides, Ana and I are celebrating my birthday at a party at my parents' house tomorrow evening. They _adore_ Ana, so I'm going to take the opportunity to announce that we're moving in together!"

"Oh – so that's still going ahead? With Leila located, surely she doesn't need to stay at Escala anymore?"

"She doesn't _need_ to, but I want her to. She's my girlfriend – I want to share my home and my bed with her."

"But not your playroom…" she taunted.

I stifled a laugh. Oh, Elena – if only you knew. Innocent little Miss Steele was proving quite the fan of kinky-fuckery. I knew we'd never progress to the more hard-core aspects of the lifestyle, but that was fine by me. The ability to connect sexually with a woman in a loving, meaningful way far outweighed any thrill I'd ever got from a scene.

"I'm still waiting for the salon figures," I said, hoping to steer the conversation away from my personal life.

"How about I drop around with them one night this week? We could have a drink? You have to introduce me to the little lady sometime."

"Elena, I've already told you I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, I won't say anything. Ana doesn't have to know about our past…" I'm sure Elena meant to sound flirty and suggestive, but it came across as creepy. Ana had a point about her.

"Ana knows about you and our history."

" _All_ of it?" Elena asked, sounding nervous now.

"Yes, all of it. So don't drop by Escala. Actually don't drop by here, either. Just courier those figures across," I said decisively. "Thanks for calling," I said, replacing the handset in the cradle before Elena had a chance to reply.

Picking the phone up again almost instantly, I dialed Taylor in the security office.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Taylor – I need you to remove Elena Lincoln from the approved list at Escala, and here at Grey House." I'd always had the sense that Taylor didn't entirely approve of Elena and the smug tone of his voice as he replied to my request just confirmed it for me.

"It would be my pleasure, sir."

Hanging up, I lifted the phone again, repeating similar instructions to Andrea. She knew nothing of my history with Elena, yet she, too, sounded happy to action my instructions. Then, knowing any chance of completing more work for the day was shot, I rang Taylor again to let him know I was heading home early.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" I asked Ana. She was curled up in the library with a cup of tea when I got home. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked tired.

"Much better," she murmured, crawling onto my lap when I patted it. "With everything that's happened, I think I just needed a day to catch up." Her eyes wouldn't meet mine, so there was more to it, but I let it go. For now.

"Did you stay home all day? I was going to come home for lunch, but Mrs. Jones said you were sleeping?"

"I slept for a while, but then I wanted some fresh air, so Mrs. Jones and I went to the market in the afternoon."

"Ana – you don't _need_ to do the shopping. That's why I employ Mrs. Jones," I said sternly. What was Gail thinking letting Ana out and about when she was unwell?!

"I really wanted to go. I needed to buy some things, and it was a good chance for me to show her the brands and foods I like."

I nodded. "As long as you didn't exert yourself. Did you choose tonight's dinner?" As I'd walked through the great room, I could smell something good cooking.

"Mrs. Jones can make you something to go with it, but I really wanted mac and cheese," she said in a small voice. I don't think I'd had it since I was a child, but as soon as Ana said it, I could identify the warm, comforting smell.

"You know what? I think that's exactly what I feel like tonight, too," I replied, nuzzling Ana's hair and petting her as she cuddled on my lap.


	29. Chapter 29

I felt like hell. No scratch that. I felt like hell reincarnated and then sent back to hell again! _No one,_ not even my worst enemy, should feel as crappy as I felt right now!

I made it to the bathroom in time, and trust me – it was a _close_ thing – and was ingloriously chundering into the lavatory when Christian followed me. I wish I'd had the time to close, and lock, the door on the way in. But since I hadn't, I was subjected to his loving inquiries and solicitous offers of help. Sending him on his way with the request for a cup of tea, I dry heaved a few more times before finally righting myself, leaning bleary-eyed over the counter to sluice my mouth with water.

I hadn't felt this ill since Kate and José had convinced me to try sushi at a new, trendy and suspiciously inexpensive restaurant at college. It had turned out to be more tragic than trendy. For the next two days, the three of us had been as sick as dogs. Even now, Kate joked about it as the most effective diet she'd ever been on!

I'd managed to pull myself up and was perched on the side of the bed when Gail came in carrying a tray.

"Mr. Grey said you're feeling unwell. Here some tea and some dried toast. Eat and drink slowly – it should help."

"Please don't let him come in here," I moaned. "I don't want him to see me like this."

"I suggested Mr. Grey go for a run," she said conspiratorially, going to the tallboy and pulling out Christian's running gear. "Why don't you have your tea and toast then have a lie-down?"

"Can you tell Christian I'm going to try and nap? If I feel up to it, I'll go to work when I wake up."

It was almost midday by the time I woke, and I wasn't feeling too bad. I sat up and saw a gorgeous bunch of flowers on the tallboy. They hadn't been there when I'd fallen asleep, so I knew they must be from Christian. I stood, walking to see the card nestled in amongst the blooms when the smell overcame me. It was roses but on steroids!

The scent alone sent me hurtling to the bathroom, hanging my head over the toilet and dry retching. I was still there, wishing to die when I heard a knock at the bedroom door. Incapable of much more than a groan, I indicated for the person to enter.

"Not feeling better?" Gail asked, coming into the bedroom and then standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

"The smell of the roses…" I groaned, pointing vaguely in the direction of the vase in the bedroom. "It's too much!"

"Let me take them away," Gail said, grabbing the blooms and removing them from the room. I'd made it back to the edge of the bed when Gail came back into the room, handing me the card from the bouquet.

' _Baby – I hope you're feeling better. I love you, Christian'_

I smiled. Even when I was at my worst, heaving over a toilet bowl, Christian loved me!

"Ana? How are you feeling now?" Gail asked cautiously, sitting beside me on the bed.

"Better now the flowers are gone!"

"So, you've got an upset tummy, headache and are sensitive to smells?" she checked. "Anything else?"

"No?"

"Are your breasts tender?" she asked, giving me an embarrassed shrug.

I thought about it. Christian loved playing with my breasts, and they did seem a little more sensitive, but I failed to see what _that_ had to do with my vomiting.

No.

No.

Oh _hell_ no.

Gail saw the change in my demeanor instantly.

"Would you like to get a test?"

"No! This can't be happening. I'm on the pill!" I wailed, my eyes wide in horror.

"Ana. No contraceptive is one-hundred percent…" she said taking my hand and squeezing it. "Do you want to call Mr. Grey?"

"No!" I squeaked. The _last_ thing I wanted to do was to alarm Christian before I knew if there was any need for alarm. "I need to go get a test," I said, standing up and walking to the closet to find something comfy to wear.

"Would you like me to come with you?" Gail asked softly. "If you're with me, security will keep their distance."

"Would you?" I asked, filled with relief. The last thing I needed was one of the security team letting Christian know I was loitering in the pregnancy test section!

"Of course. I need a thing or two at Target, anyway," Gail assured me.

Twenty minutes later, Ryan was driving us to the shops. Gail kept up a steady stream of light chatter, only requiring the occasional monosyllabic response from me. I was honestly so petrified, I was almost shaking in the back seat.

"Miss Steele and I will be fine in the store," Gail said with authority once we'd arrived and parked. "Please follow at a distance." When it came to the security staff, Gail had a _lot_ more authority than I did. But then, she _was_ in a relationship with their boss!

We slowly headed into the correct section, Gail picking up a new hand towel on the way. The pregnancy tests were right beside the lubricants, condoms, and hand washes. Mrs. Jones stocked up on hand wash, while I grabbed half a dozen pregnancy tests and shoved them in the cart, burying them under the towel so they wouldn't be seen. We wandered for another ten minutes, Gail picking up another thing or two before we exited the store. True to instructions, Ryan was close enough to secure the area, but not close enough to witness what was purchased.

Back in the car, Ryan drove us back to Escala. Gail took the packages upstairs, dismissing Ryan and then heading through to the bedroom I shared with Christian. She laid the tests on the bathroom counter.

"Stay with me?" I asked faintly.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to be alone."

Gail sat on the side of the bed as I closed the bathroom door, opening two of the half dozen packs. It was simple enough; pee and wait. I followed the instructions, then brought the capped tests out to the bedroom placing them face down on Christian's bedside table.

I didn't think I'd be doing this for _years._ And I'd always imagined doing it with a hopeful husband beside me, not my very new boyfriend's housekeeper. But for all that, I appreciated Gail's presence. Because as scary as it was, it would be scarier doing this alone. I kept a close eye on the clock on Christian's bedside, my eyes running across the book, a watch, two pairs of cufflinks and a glass of water also situated there.

Gail was right. Christian _did_ need a watch and cufflink tray to dump his cufflinks and watch so Gail could return them to the dedicated pull-out drawer in our closet.

Three minutes eventually ticking over, I turned over the first test, staring at the Perspex panel. There was no misunderstanding the pink plus sign directly beside the control line. Unable to draw breath, I turned over the second test, hoping against hope for a different result. Another brand, this one showed two strong blue lines in the display panel. And suddenly again I wanted to throw up.

As unfathomable as it seemed, I was twenty-two, had known Christian for less than two months, and now I was pregnant with him.

"How are you feeling?" Christian asked. I would have laughed, but none of this situation was funny. I'd spent the afternoon in our bedroom sobbing, after begging Gail to tell Christian I was sleeping if he rang.

"Much better," I lied, ashamed of myself for not admitting the truth, yet urgently needing the reassuring comfort of his touch. I climbed onto Christian's lap, letting the warm strength of his arms comfort me.

Pregnant.

I wasn't ready for this, and despite being years older than me, I doubted Christian was, either. We hadn't even discussed children. It wouldn't surprise me if he never wanted them. And while I knew I did, I wanted a career, travel and time with my partner first.

"Did you stay home all day? I was going to come home for lunch, but Mrs. Jones said you were sleeping?"

What could I say? I wasn't ready to share the truth, yet; although I knew I needed to.

"I slept for a while, but then I wanted some fresh air, so Mrs. Jones and I went to the market in the afternoon."

He'd objected, as I knew he would, so I assured him I'd needed things as well.

After cuddling a little longer, we'd moved out to the kitchen counter, sitting close beside one another as Gail served us mac and cheese. After the bombshell that I was expecting, she'd asked if there was anything I wanted, and I'd immediately piped up mac and cheese. My mother used to make it when I was sick when I was little, but I hadn't had it in years. Not since husband number three. Maybe it was nostalgia, or perhaps it was an early craving, but I wanted the comfort of nursery food.

"Mr. Grey. Miss Steele. Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like."

Gail didn't suggest wine, and I was appreciative. I knew next to nothing about growing a baby, but I knew alcohol was out. I'd make a call first thing Monday morning to Dr. Greene's rooms, but in the meantime, I'd asked Gail to pre-prepare healthy, balanced meals, my uncertain stomach the perfect pretext for nor drinking.

"Will you be alright to go to my parents' tomorrow night?" Christian asked, his fingers rubbing light circles on my arm as I greedily spooned mouthfuls of mac and cheese into my mouth. "We can spend the night at home if you're not feeling up to it."

"I should be fine," I replied optimistically. I was feeling good, now. Hungry. Ravenous, actually. Gail shot me an approving glance as I shoveled down the pasta, topping up my glass with water. Knowing Christian had never marked his birthday, I was determined to celebrate with his family tomorrow. Although Kate was going to be there, and it would be a hard thing to explain not drinking in front of her. I might feign a visit to the doctor tomorrow morning, then claim I was on meds so couldn't drink. That should reassure Christian all was on the up and up, and divert Kate as well. It wasn't that I wouldn't tell them – I didn't really have a choice; eventually, I knew I would show. I just needed to wrap my head around everything first!

"You're tired," Christian observed as my head dropped against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, struggling to keep my eyes open. "I just can't seem to stay awake!"

"Let's go to bed," he suggested, picking me up and carrying me to our bedroom. Once inside, I noticed Gail had put one of the bunches of blooms on our tallboy – this one scentless wildflowers.

"Thank you for the flowers," I said, smiling at Christian. "They're all beautiful!"

"Not as beautiful as you," he said, waiting as I stripped off, watching as I donned one of his TShirts before climbing into bed. "I love you, Miss Steele," he said, his voice soft but raspy. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

I smiled sadly at him. I wondered whether Christian would feel the same way if he knew our child was nestled deep in my womb.

"I'm always going to love you, Anastasia," he crooned, climbing into bed and rolling close against me. "You're everything to me. My girlfriend. My love. My _more."_

"Promise to always love me?" I asked, my voice nervous but also faint as I was almost asleep.

"Always, Anastasia," Christian promised, burying his face in my hair before kissing me tenderly. "I told you; you're it for me. You're _always_ going to be my girl!"


	30. Chapter 30

I was relieved to see Ana look a lot better this morning. She said she thought she was on the mend, and I was pleased to hear it. The last thing I wanted was for Ana to be sick.

I was in a great mood as I climbed out of bed. Ana had fallen asleep almost before we were in bed, last night, but we'd woken in the middle of the night, and we'd spent a couple of hours making love. I'd claimed Ana, twice, before cuddling with her as we drifted back to sleep. Best way _ever_ to start my birthday!

I wasn't used to being excited about the day I was born. In the past, it had brought to mind those first four years of my life. A time I'd spent a big part of my life wanting to forget. But this year was different. This year I felt hopeful – because this year I had the love of my life by my side.

"Are you going to the doctor this morning?" I checked. Ana had mentioned something about it the night before.

"Yes. I don't have one in Seattle, yet, so Mrs. Jones recommended hers. She's a female doctor only a couple of blocks from here, and she's already been vetted. Mrs. Jones was going to take me there, and then I'm going to pick up something for your birthday and maybe shop for a few things for the library."

"You don't need to get me anything," I said, feeling shy. Yes, Grace and Carrick had always bought me birthday presents as a child, but I'd never had a lover celebrate my day with me. Just Ana's presence was more than I'd ever hoped for.

"I love you, Christian," Ana said, kneeling on the bed to bring her eyes in line with mine, "more than you probably know. I want to get you something special for your special day." I smiled at her, not for the first time wondering what Anastasia Rose Steele saw in me. "I'll be out until probably after lunch with Mrs. Jones. Do you have anything special planned?"

Birthdays were meant to be about doing whatever you wanted, and with that in mind, an idea formed.

"Nothing special," I said. "I might work out with Bastille or see if Elliot wants to come over."

"Ok – but no work," she said, looking at me sternly with those beautiful big blue eyes. "It's your birthday – you're not working today!"

* * *

Once I was sure Ana and Gail had left the apartment, I went to my office and placed a couple of calls. That done, I buzzed Taylor.

"I need to fly to New York next weekend," I said. "I'll check with Miss Steele, but I thought we'd fly out Friday night and be back Sunday afternoon. I'll take Sawyer and Ryan, so you and Mrs. Jones can have the weekend off."

I paused, trying to phrase my next question.

"You were a married man, Taylor."

"Once upon a time," he said, with a sardonic twitch of his lips.

"When you proposed, did you already have a ring, or did you choose together?"

"An engagement ring?" Taylor clarified.

"Yes, an engagement ring!" I snapped, nervous about this unchartered territory.

"I proposed with the ring," Taylor said.

"And she liked that?"

Taylor shrugged. "I guess so. She said yes."

I nodded to myself. I think having a ring to propose with would be best. I knew Ana would never agree to the sort of ring I felt she deserved if she knew the amount of money involved. If I proposed with a ring already, she'd never have to know what it was worth.

"So, New York…?" Taylor prompted.

"I need to see some diamond merchants."

* * *

"You're going for it?" Elliot gaped. I'd called and invited him over to hang out. It was possibly the first time I'd ever instigated a social get together at my place, so despite it being the weekend and his time off with Kate, he'd agreed immediately.

"She's it, man."

"Are you sure? Don't get me wrong, I think Ana is amazing, but she is your first proper girlfriend…"

"I'm sure," I replied, knowing the words to be the truth. "Sometimes you just _know_ things."

Elliot swigged his beer. "So, New York?"

"The best diamond merchants are there," I explained. "I've set up a couple of meetings for Saturday. I've given them an idea of the sort of stones I'm after, so they're bringing things in for me to look at."

"You don't want to choose the ring together?"

"Ana would freak if she knew how much I'm planning to drop on her ring," I admitted. "She might not notice or care about those things, but there are people out there who will and do. I want nothing but the best for Ana, and if it comes out she's my fiancée, I don't want some fucker in the press suggesting I was cheap with the ring."

Elliot scratched at the beginnings of a beard. The guy was hairy as hell, and always sported a five o'clock shadow. "So how much you thinking of spending?"

I named a figure which was pretty extreme in anyone's language.

"Whoa! I was hoping to spend less than half that on Katie-girl."

I was glad my beer was on the table; otherwise, I might have dropped it.

"You're thinking of proposing?"

"It's looking that way. I've been staying at her unit, and it's good, but we want our space and Ethan is planning to move in. I know I don't have to propose for us to live together, but there's been a lot of girls over the years, ya know? I want Katie to know I'm in for the long haul. Besides, you know what Beyoncé says…"

I rolled my eyes. I can't believe Elliot was citing Beyoncé!

"You should come to New York," I suggested. "Ana and Kate can spend the day shopping and sight-seeing, and we can go diamond shopping."

"You're leaving Friday night?"

"That's the plan," I replied. "I'll take the GEH plane, and we can fly overnight. We can stay at my apartment there."

"Let me talk with Katie, but as soon as she hears 'New York' and 'shopping' in the same sentence, I bet we'll be good to go."

* * *

"Oh baby," I growled, seeing Ana standing in our bathroom, naked except for her bra and panties. She was rubbing lotion on herself, and my eyes followed the path of her hands greedily. I wanted to be the one rubbing lotion on her smooth, perfect skin. "You look so beautiful."

She looked up, eyeing me in the mirror as I stood in the doorway.

"You look so handsome!"

I was already dressed in a tux, but if I'd known Ana was going to take her time dressing for my party, I would have stayed naked a bit longer.

"Come back to bed," I coaxed, not giving a damn about leaving my family waiting at Bellevue.

"I'm still not feeling a hundred percent," Ana sighed. After she and Gail had returned home, I'd been banned from the library for half an hour as Ana wrapped my gifts, but after that, she'd joined me farewelling Elliot and then we'd retreated to our bedroom for the afternoon. After a particularly vigorous session of lovemaking, Ana had fallen asleep in my arms. I'd let her sleep as long as I could, hence why I was dressed standing here watching her get ready.

I watched as she quickly applied some makeup before stepping into a pair of satin heels that made her legs look as though they went on forever. After that, she put on her dress. Just below knee length, it was baby blue and matched her eyes perfectly. In satin, it had a thin black belt around the middle and a bateau neckline. Somehow it managed to be both demure and sexy at the same time.

"I can't wait to get you back here tonight," I moaned, wondering whether Ana would be open to another session in the playroom. She'd enjoyed our last time there, but since then she'd seen Leila _kneeling half naked_ on the floor near the door. That had to have had _some_ effect?

Ana's expression was inscrutable as she smiled at me. She managed to look happy, scared and worried at the same time.

"I can't wait to be back with you here too," she replied, picking up a matching clutch and slipping her arm into mine.

Pulling up at my parents' house, there were enough cars to prove Mia had been correct about the size of tonight's guest list. I recognized Ros' Aston Martin Vantage parked in pride of place, standing out even amongst the other luxury cars on my parents' large circular driveway. Ana's eyes were wide as she looked at all the vehicles.

"I guess I get to meet everyone tonight," she said, sounding nervous.

"And they're all going to love you," I replied, stepping out of the car and walking around to open her door when Taylor pulled up to the front door. Nodding to one of the family security, we walked through the open front door and into the family room.

"Christian!" my mother said with a smile. "Happy birthday, darling." She pulled me into a hug, careful to touch my arms and not my 'no-go' areas. "Have you had a good day so far?"

I smirked, I couldn't tell Mom about the amazing afternoon I'd spent between the sheets with Ana, so I told her Elliot and I had hung out.

"Your _brother_ Elliot?" she asked wide-eyed.

"Yes. I gave him a call and he came over."

Mom's eyes started filling with tears, and she quickly turned to Ana to conceal them from me.

"And Ana! You look gorgeous! That's such a pretty dress, and the color matches your eyes perfectly." Mom pulled Ana into a warm hug.

"Thanks, Grace. Everything looks lovely," Ana said, still a little shy around my mother and a birthday party that involved professional waiters.

"Christian – get yourself and Ana a drink. Your father has a pitcher of his cocktails in the kitchen. I'm going to introduce Ana to some of our guests."

I gave Ana an apologetic smile as Mom steered her over to where our long-term neighbors were standing talking with Dad. Mom looked as proud as a peacock to be finally able to introduce a potential daughter-in-law. As we got older, Mom was getting less and less subtle with her requests for Elliot and me to settle down and get on with the business of giving her some grandchildren. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of not one but _two_ potential engagements on the horizon. Mom would be in seventh heaven at the prospect of two weddings!

"Christian!" Mia squealed coming into the kitchen from the patio, interrupting Gretchen and her silent eye-fucking of me.

"Hey Mia," I said, pouring her one of Dad's lethal cocktails.

"Mom's been beside herself all afternoon. She said it's the first time since middle school she's held a birthday party for you," she said, pinching a couple of olives from the tray of a passing server.

"Probably," I shrugged. Parties and all that hadn't been my thing. Mia had insisted on a party, complete with a sleepover for a gaggle of giggling girlfriends every year, but we'd always just had a quiet family dinner for my birthday.

Mia sipped her drink.

"Ugh, that's _strong!_ Let me get Ana one."

"None for Ana tonight. She's not feeling well."

"Well I won't be feeling well if I have too many of these," Mia giggled, already a little worse for wear.

I poured Ana a cranberry spritzer, moving back out into the living room. My eyes scanned the room. I could see Ros and Gwen on one sofa, talking with John and Rhiann Flynn. Elliot and Kate had just arrived and were accepting glasses of champagne.

And _hell no!_ There was Ana, standing with Mom, Dad, and Elena fucking Lincoln. I nearly dropped the drinks I was holding. What the hell was she doing here? Did Ana have any idea of who she was?! I approached, willing myself to move slowly. Ana looked up, her eyes catching mine. Oh yeah. She knew.

"Cranberry spritzer," I said, handing it to Ana, my eyes begging her to understand I had no idea Elena was going to be here tonight.

"Thank you, darling. I was just talking with your friend Mrs. Robinson. She was telling me she's been a friend of the family for _years."_

"Lincoln," Elena corrected frostily. "It's Elena Lincoln."

"Oh? Is it?" Ana said in a surprised tone of voice. "Pardon me – I have _no_ idea why I thought it was Robinson." Running her hand up over my pecs right within my no-go area, Ana let her hand linger over my heart, not unaware of three sets of eyes almost standing out on stalks as they watched us. Mom looked thrilled. No. More than thrilled. Absolutely _over the moon._ Dad was surprised, but the most astounded was Elena. She looked nothing less than stunned. A big part of me being in the scene was because I couldn't tolerate being touched. Me relishing Ana's loving caresses was a huge step toward a normal, loving relationship.

"Baby? Elliot and Kate have just arrived. We should sort out the plans for New York with them," I said, slipping my arm around Ana and trying to move her away.

"New York?" Mom asked.

"Elliot and I thought we'd take our girls to New York next weekend," I explained, smiling down at Ana. "Ana and I were there a few weeks ago and had such a wonderful time I suggested Elliot and Kate come with us this time."

"Oh, Cary…" Mom said, clutching Dad's hand as tears welled in her eyes again.

"Excuse us," I said, leaving Dad fishing for a handkerchief for Mom, and Elena's eyes burning holes in my back as I ushered Ana away.

"I had no idea she was going to be here," I said through a clenched jaw, stopping a little aside from other groups and standing in front of Ana, my back blocking her from Elena's view.

"She told your mother you'd invited her…" Ana said quietly.

I groaned and uttered a curse word.

"She rang yesterday afternoon to wish me happy birthday. She suggested I come to a club for a session with a new sub," I whispered, making sure there was no one in earshot. "I told her I _wasn't interested_ and that we were coming here for a party."

I could see Ana weighing my words before she shot me a smile.

"Well if it's a _party,_ we should celebrate," she said, stepping closer to me and slipping one hand around my neck, the other under my arm and around to the center of my back. "Kiss me," she demanded playfully, her blue eyes sparkling with desire and mischief.

"Oh Miss Steele – your wish is my command," I replied, twisting her slightly so Elena would cop an eyeful as I leaned down and gave Ana a long, loving kiss.

* * *

 _As a little treat, if you'd like to see Ana's dress, head on over to my Facebook Page: www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters_  
 _It's in an album titled "And So I Ran"_


	31. Chapter 31

I was seething when Elena Lincoln came sidling over to where I stood talking with Grace and Carrick. I knew who she was even before we were introduced. The calculating, speculative manner with which she was looking at me gave it away.

"Elena?" Grace said in confusion as the two air-kissed. "I wasn't expecting you tonight?"

Dressed in a sequined gold sheath with a thigh-high split, Elena managed to look simultaneously over and under-dressed. The dress itself wasn't too bad, but Elena was probably ten years too old for it, so despite her trim figure, she was mutton dressed as lamb. Standing beside Grace, who was wearing an elegant, tastefully cut embroidered gown, the difference was marked.

"Christian invited me," she said glibly, giving me the evil eye.

"Well, that was nice of him. Have you met Anastasia?"

"No, I've not yet had the pleasure," Elena replied in a tone that was only just civil.

"Anastasia, darling, this is an old friend of the family Elena Lincoln. Elena – this is Anastasia Steele, Christian's _girlfriend."_ Grace was almost purring with satisfaction as she said the final word. Christian had said his Mom was over the moon about him having a girlfriend, and it looks like he was right.

"Not just a friend of the family… Also a business partner," Elena said giving me an arch smile. I returned her smile, not giving her the satisfaction of knowing I'd placed her.

"Oh yes. I often forget Christian has an interest in Esclava," Grace said, picking up on Elena's rudeness and strange behavior toward me and moving to smooth it over.

"Yes. You should come down sometime, Anastasia. The team would be happy to fix up your hair, nails," she sneered, surveying my head before dropping her gaze to my neat buffed nails, "and everything else you no doubt need." There was no mistaking her rudeness this time.

"Oh Elena – she doesn't need any of that," Grace chided with a laugh that nonetheless told Elena to back off. "Look at her – she's _gorgeous._ I'm sure Christian likes her just the way she is."

Speaking of Christian, he was walking towards us. To the uneducated eye, he looked calm and collected, but I knew better. He was simmering with tension. He walked up to where I stood, ignoring Elena as he handed me a drink.

"Thank you, darling. I was talking with your friend Mrs. Robinson. She was telling me she's been a friend of the family for _years."_ The corner of Christian's eyes crinkled. He got the reference. Since I wasn't prepared to stand here in a pseudo pissing contest with a pedophile, I decided to claim Christian in the most obvious way possible – I ran my hand up his chest, right into his no-go zone, and stroked him directly over his heart. Christian knew exactly what I was doing, but he seemed almost amused by it.

Grace, however, started to tear up immediately. She was an adoring mother, and with one simple action, I knew I'd shown her just how far Christian had come. She wanted nothing but the best for him, and knowing he could experience someone's loving touch meant the world to her. I wonder how she'd feel if she knew he'd already fathered a child? That I was pregnant with his baby.

Christian was trying to steer me away, citing the need to chat with Elliot and Kate about our New York trip. Finally extricating me, he apologized, and I decided that if Elena wanted a show, I'd give her one! After sharing a not-safe-for-work sort of kiss, I let Christian lead me over to Kate and Elliot. I'd have to tell Kate about the pregnancy before New York. She was too observant for her own good, and would no doubt pick up on it if I didn't tell her. But if I told Kate, then I had to tell Christian, first. I already felt terrible that Gail knew before he did – although she was the soul of discretion, so I trusted her not to spill the beans.

"Earth to Steele?" Kate said in exasperation. "Did you hear a word I said?"

I startled. "Sorry, Kate – I was in my own world. What were you saying?"

"New York? Shopping?! Elliot said we'd stay at Christian's place there. Is it nice? Where is it?"

I gave Kate a description of the apartment and its location. Kate was much more familiar with New York than I, so she was already planning our shopping trip. I was exhausted just thinking about it. I'd be happy spending the morning in Strand Books, but it didn't sound like that was going to happen. In fact, a small part of me wondered whether Christian would want me to go to New York with him at all, once I told him my news.

There was the sound of someone dinging the side of their glass with a teaspoon, and we all turned to see Carrick and Grace standing near the hearth. Grace was beaming, gesturing for Christian and me to join them. Allowing Christian to take my hand in his, we walked to stand side-by-side with his parents, facing out onto the small group of friends and family.

"Thank you all so much for coming tonight," Carrick started. "It gives Grace and me such pleasure to welcome so many of our nearest and dearest here today to help Christian celebrate his twenty-eighth birthday." Carrick turned to face Christian before he continued. "It thrills your mother and me to see you so successful and content. Happy birthday, son!"

Raising his glass, those gathered did likewise toasting Christian and wishing him the best. Relaxed and at ease, Christian smiled and acknowledged the good wishes, before clearing his throat.

"I've heard people refer to me as 'the man who has everything'…"

"That must be someone who's had to shop for a present for you," a decidedly tipsy Mia shouted out.

"…yes, probably… And while I've been blessed in many ways in my life, until recently, there was something missing, and that was someone to share it all with. That makes my birthday this year all the sweeter because today I get to share my birthday with my beautiful girlfriend Ana and introduce her to you all."

"So what did you give Christian, Ana?" Mia called out merrily. I had planned to give Christian his presents when we got home tonight, so I didn't have an answer.

"She agreed to move in with me!" Christian shot back merrily before pulling me to him and kissing me soundly. We were surrounded by happy oohs and aahs, although Elena looked positively feral where she was standing in the corner.

"I have other presents waiting for you at home," I said tapping his chest in a playful way when he finally released my lips.

"And the less we hear about _those_ , the better," Elliot teased, earning raucous laughter from most there.

After that, Christian and I wandered from group to group. He was careful never to leave my side, and Elena didn't approach us. Eventually, needing to go to the bathroom, he carefully deposited me with Mia. I was standing with her when I overheard a conversation Elena was having with Grace and Carrick not too far behind me.

"So she's moving in?! _That_ didn't take very long. Still, I suppose she took one look at his bank account, and that decided it."

"I don't know what your problem is with Ana," Grace said in a low voice. "She's a clever, beautiful, accomplished young lady and she and Christian adore each other. I've never seen him so happy!"

"Oh, Grace – don't let that innocent, demure act fool you. She and her fake strawberry-blonde friend over there are looking to land themselves rich husbands. It's obvious neither of them grew up with _any_ money…"

"Elena, both Ana, and Kate are charming, and Kate's father is Eamon Kavanagh of Kavanagh Media, for goodness sakes. _Neither_ of them are gold diggers."

"I hope you're right," Elena said in an attempt to be conciliatory, her tone suggesting she recognized she'd gone a step too far. "It's just I worry about Christian. I know he's never dated, so he's not experienced with women like that. Carrick, I'm sure you see things like this at work all the time? Let's just hope one or both girls don't 'accidently' fall pregnant. I'd hate to see either of your boys forced into something they're not ready for."

I drew in my breath sharply. Oh, God. That's what everyone would think when I revealed I'd fallen pregnant after dating only a few months. People would assume I was a gold digger trying to trap Christian into marrying me! My stomach started churning at the thought of it, and suddenly the sounds and smells of the party were all too much. I was queasy and had to fight to stop myself from throwing up.

"… and so once I'd decided that, I was done with Paris and just wanted to come home," Mia finished just as I tuned back into what she was saying.

"Mia?" I said, feeling clammy, "I'm not feeling well… Can you tell Christian I've gone up to his bedroom to lie down for a minute?" I knew the way to Christian's old bedroom and was approaching the back staircase to go upstairs when the man himself spotted me.

"Ana? You don't look so good…"

"I feel horrible, Christian. I'm just going to go lie down in your room for a minute."

"Do you want to go home?"

I shook my head. I didn't want to spoil Christian's party by leaving early, besides which, the idea of being in a car right now made me feel even worse.

"Ok. Come on – I'll take you up there."

"But it's your party. You should be celebrating with your friends."

"I'd rather celebrate with you, Miss Steele," Christian replied, for once sounding sweet rather than suggestive. I followed him up the stairs to his teenage bedroom. "If you're still not feeling well, you need to go back to the doctor," he said, as I lay on his bed.

"Hmm maybe," I replied noncommittally. "Can you turn out the light? It's giving me a headache."

Christian slipped off his shoes and jacket, then turned off the light, climbing onto the bed beside me. It was dark, but there was enough light spilling in through the doorway to light the room slightly. I moved forward, letting Christian wrap me in his arms.

"That feels better," I sighed, relaxing against him.

"We should have given tonight a miss. You're too sick to be here."

"I'm ok," I said. "Although seeing Elena was a surprise."

"And not a pleasant one," he agreed. "I've told her numerous times I didn't want you to meet her, and she just wouldn't listen!"

"Numerous times? How often do you talk?" Christian hadn't been exactly forthcoming about his contact with Elena since I let him know what I thought of her and what she'd done.

"Not often, now, but it's still more than I'd like. Seeing how she disregarded my wishes today has underscored her fundamental lack of respect for me. I used to think of her as a friend, but I see now it was never a friendship. I'm a silent partner in her chain of three beauty salons, but on Monday I'm going to ask Ros to work out how to sever my business relationship with her. If we have no business together, then she has no need to contact me. Ever. She's part of my past, and it's time for me to move on."

"Won't you lose money?" I asked.

"Possibly, but it will be worth it. She's _old_ news, and I don't want her in my life anymore. In _our_ lives."

"She hates me. I overheard her telling your Mom and Dad that Kate and I are gold diggers out to catch ourselves rich husbands."

"She thinks that way because that's what she did," he laughed mirthlessly. "She can't understand love because I don't think she's ever known it."

"And I do love you; you know that, don't you?" I couldn't keep the desperation from my voice.

"I do, baby," he soothed, tightening his grip on me. "I know you love me, and I love you. Nothing anyone says thinks or does is going to change that."

I sighed. I didn't want to ruin his special day, and telling him in the middle of his birthday party with a houseful of guests was far from ideal, but Christian needed to know, and know soon. And as they say, there's no time like the present.

"I hope so," I said in a small voice, psyching up the courage, "because when I was feeling so sick yesterday, I did two pregnancy tests, and they were both positive."

I felt Christian tense as he held me.

"What are you saying, Anastasia?" he asked, his voice changing to his take no prisoners CEO tone.

"I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant," I whispered apologetically.


	32. Chapter 32

Five words. With five words my entire world shuddered to a screeching halt. I could feel everything I knew stop and in its place was something new.

Ana. _My_ Ana. Anastasia Steele - pregnant.

Fuck! A baby! A baby that would grow into a child! What did _I_ know of being a parent? How could someone as fucked up as me be a father? Having a child had never crossed my mind. Not in any real sense. It wasn't something that was on the cards for me. Or so I'd thought. But here I was, hearing the woman I loved tell me my seed was blossoming within her.

I could feel Ana looking at me apprehensively, waiting for a response. But, just now, I was incapable of saying anything. Instead, I was wracking my brain, trying to work out how I felt about this development, other than absolutely shocked that is. I thought about supporting Ana through a pregnancy, then through labor and the birth. I tried to picture play dates and little league or ballet school, a move to a more family-friendly neighborhood like Bellevue, and maybe even a second child along the track a little. The stupid thing is, now I thought about these things, I _liked_ what I was picturing.

I took a nervous breath.

"Well it's not something we've talked about, but that's good news, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Ana whispered, sounding far from convinced. "I'm twenty-two, we've been going out about fifteen minutes, and I've only just agreed to move in with you."

"Ana – I love you. I want to spend my life with you. I already know that. Sure, this has come along a little earlier than we might have planned, but that's ok…"

"I wanted to work. Make a name for myself in publishing. And travel. There are so many places I wanted to see before I settled down…" Ana's voice was almost pleading. Was she suggesting what I _thought_ she was?!

"And all that can still happen! I can make whatever you want happen, baby. I _own_ SIP – you can take as much time off as you want and return whenever you're ready. There will always be a job for you there if you want it. And I can work from anywhere. If you want to take a few months off to travel the world, we can do that. Every _year_ if you want? I'm a _billionaire_ Ana. The three of us can travel wherever you'd like. If we need extra help, we can get a nanny, and there's still Gail to take care of the cooking and cleaning."

"But are you ready for the realities of having a baby? Diapers and middle of the night wake-ups? This isn't like a puppy, Christian. You can't just hand it over to someone else if it doesn't work out!"

"Don't you think I know that? Me of all people?" I said quietly, trying to mask my dismay. "I know it's a lot to take on, but I love you, and I'll love our child. A perfect union of you and me; the start of our own little family together. I promise you, Ana, I understand what's involved, and I'm ready."

"I'm not sure _I_ am," she whispered.

We lay there in silence holding each other, each too scared to say anything lest we say something that couldn't be unsaid. I wanted to rant and rave and demand Ana celebrate this news as the miracle it was, but I knew that would push her further away, and that was something I couldn't afford to do right now. So I fought my own nature to try and control the situation and put Ana's emotional wellbeing first.

"I guess we should start with a call to Dr. Greene?" I suggested cautiously, stroking Ana's back and kissing her forehead.

"I was going to call her Monday."

Fuck Monday. She'd be in her rooms and ready to see us tomorrow – I don't care _how_ much I had to pay her.

Ana nuzzled closer. "I thought you'd be angry with me?"

"Surprised, but not angry." At least not about the _pregnancy._ "How do you think it happened? Did you forget to take your pill?"

"I think it was probably the night Jack attacked me. When I threw up what he gave me, I must have vomited up my contraceptive pill. I guess we'll know more when we see Dr. Greene?"

I nodded, rubbing her back rhythmically.

"Ana? We're a team. You and me – we'll get through this. We'll work it out. Together. I promise."

* * *

The party was winding down by the time we came back downstairs. Almost everyone other than family had left, and Ros was trying to coax a decidedly tipsy Gwen out to the car. I called Taylor to assist Ros as Ana and I said farewell to Mom, Dad and my siblings. Mia was bleary-eyed and waved at us before taking herself up to her room. Kate managed to say goodnight, but Elliot was comatose on the couch, a victim of my father's lethal cocktails.

"Thank you for a wonderful party. I can honestly say today has been one of the best days of my life!"

Mom beamed, thinking I meant the party, but Ana knew what I was referring to.

We didn't talk much on the way home, but Ana was happy to lean against me in the back seat, her shoes slipped off and her legs tucked to one side beneath her. By the time we got to Escala she was asleep, so motioning for Taylor to bring up her shoes, I hoisted Ana into my arms and carried her to the lift. Stirring only once we got to the penthouse, I moved my sleepy woman through to our bedroom. Helping her undress, she laid back on our crisp white sheets wearing nothing but her panties. I quickly covered her and watched as she immediately fell asleep.

I stood and watched to make sure she was out before moving to our bathroom, folding up a towel and placing it on the floor in front of the lavatory, I also filled one of the glasses with water and put it on the counter next to the toilet, along with a bottle of mouthwash. Just in case. That organized, I checked on Ana again before moving across to my study.

It was too late to call Dr. Greene, now, so I satisfied myself by researching early pregnancy signs and symptoms as well as every possible 'do' and 'don't.' There was a whole list of foods Ana shouldn't be eating, so I printed out a copy to quietly give to Gail to make sure none of it appeared on our menu. I also made a list of things I wanted Gail to pick up at the market; crackers, ginger ale, popsicles and plenty of leafy green vegetables for the additional folate.

Then I poured myself a drink, reflecting on my birthday. Ana never had got around to giving me the carefully wrapped gifts sitting on our bedroom dresser, but as far as I was concerned, nothing could beat the news she'd given me. I just hoped she'd come around to the idea.

It was well past midnight, but I wasn't tired. Way too much going through my head, I guess. I checked on Ana and she was sleeping soundly, so changing into my pajama pants I kissed my beautiful girl and headed back out to the great room. Closing the lid of the grand piano to make it quieter, I sat for a while wondering what to play. Most of the time when I sat in the middle of the night at the piano it was my past keeping me up. Now it was my future. I could see a whole life laid out before me. A beautiful future filled with Anastasia, our children, and our families. And I wanted it.

Everything Ana had said she wanted, I wanted, too. I wanted us to travel. I wanted to see her achieve in her career. Hell knows I'd been successful enough. Maybe I could step back a bit at GEH after the baby arrived to give her career a chance to flourish? I'd never believed in fate – I used to think that a person made their own destiny – but I was convinced that this pregnancy was meant to be. It was the universe's way of forcing me to stop and consider what I wanted and where I wanted to be.

And I knew. I wanted to be Anastasia Grey's husband. Father to her children. Her lover, confidant and the person she could always lean on. Closing my eyes, suddenly I knew what I wanted to play. I don't think I'd ever played it before, but it was a simple tune, so I could play it by ear. I was halfway through before I realized I was crying. But I was smiling, too. I wanted this pregnancy, this child, _so_ much. I couldn't wait to announce to the world that Ana was expecting my progeny; that baby Grey would be arriving in nine months' time.

While it was wrong to feel this way, part of me felt if Ana rejected my baby it was also a rejection of _me._ I was ready to say forever. A baby was part of that, wasn't it? Pushing that unproductive thought from my mind, I played the song again. Brahms' Lullaby. And as I played it, I smiled, imagining performing it for a fractious infant in the middle of the night while its tired Momma got some sleep. It wasn't an unappealing thought.

I wasn't aware Ana had woken until I heard her voice. "That's beautiful. I know the tune, but not the name?" She sat beside me on the long piano bench wearing one of my TShirts as a nightgown.

"It's Brahms' Lullaby. Mom used to play it to me when I first came to them. I was thinking about playing it to our child, one day."

She looked at me. Not my face. Not even my irises. Those penetrating blue eyes saw right through me and into my soul.

"You want this, don't you?" she asked. "You really want this child."

"Desperately," I admitted. "I know it's your body, and I can't tell you what to do, but I can't help feeling this baby, _our_ baby, is meant to be." There. I'd said it. For right or wrong, I'd let Ana know how strongly I felt about her pregnancy.

"Ok."

"Ok, you'll think about it?" I asked hopefully.

"No." My heart plummeted. "Ok as in let's do it."

My heart stopped. For the second time in less than twelve hours, Anastasia Rose Steele had managed to take my breath away completely.

"You're sure?" I asked, needing her to confirm it. "We're going to have a baby?!"

"So it seems," Ana replied, giving me a gorgeous smile.

I couldn't help myself! I lifted Ana off the seat, spinning her around in the air. I pulled my love against me, kissing her solidly.

"Best birthday present _ever!"_ I told her, grinning like an idiot. "I can't wait to tell everyone!"

"Whoa! First Dr. Greene, and then I'd like to take our time telling people. It's early days, Christian. If my calculations are correct, I'm only _just_ pregnant. I'd like to be more certain things are going well before we announce it." She sounded panicked, so I immediately acquiesced. The last thing I needed to do was spook her right now.

"So, our little secret, for now?"

Ana nodded, leading me back to the piano. "Play us that lullaby again?" she asked, leaning against me as we sat side by side on the bench. "We liked it."

 _We. Us._ I couldn't hide my grin. I was in love with a beautiful woman who was carrying my baby. Life didn't get any better than this! I played the lullaby through twice before switching to Mozart's variations of 'Ah vous deai-e, Maman,' otherwise known as twinkle, twinkle little star.

"That was gorgeous, Christian," Ana said once I'd finished. "I love the idea of you playing these for our baby."

"I can't wait!" I confessed. And I couldn't.

"Enough for one night. Come to bed?"

"You must be tired. Come on baby," I said, scooping her into my arms and carrying her off to our room.

"Not _that_ tired," she mentioned huskily.

"We'll have to be careful…"

"We can be careful," she assured me as I carried her into our bedroom. A woman I loved, a baby on the way and hopefully soon an engagement. Yes – my twenty-eighth birthday was the best one yet!


	33. Chapter 33

Christian's almost instant support when I told him about the baby stunned me. I had expected anger, possibly even him asking me to get rid of it. But wanting it, and not trying to pressure me into anything when I was uncertain, had been the last things I'd anticipated. And I couldn't help but love him for it!

I was glad he'd given me the chance to voice my fears about being pregnant at twenty-two, and his responses _had_ been comforting. Having a baby, _his_ baby, didn't have to mean the end of my dreams and ambitions. While I certainly wasn't with Christian for his money, he'd made a good point when he reassured me that because of his wealth, many of the more challenging aspects of being a younger parent wouldn't be an issue. I could take time off work and not have to worry about breaking back into publishing when I wanted to return. And he had his own plane, for goodness sakes - the three of us could go wherever we wanted. The _three_ of us. Thinking about a little boy with Christian's smile, or a girl with his eyes was making me melt. I must have fallen asleep in the back of the car while I was thinking, because the next thing I knew, I woke up in an empty bed, faint sounds of the piano echoing through from the main room.

I knew Christian played. He'd played the first night I'd stayed here. The night he'd taken my virginity. Then it had been sad and melancholy. This time was different. The song sounded sweet and soothing. I put on one of his TShirts and was padding down the hallway to the great room when I realized what I was hearing. It was a lullaby.

There, illuminated by a single floor lamp beside the piano, sat Christian Grey, crying but with the sweetest smile on his face, playing a song to soothe a baby. I sat beside him, and I knew then we were going to be parents. Together.

* * *

"Oh, God!" I lurched from my side of the bed toward the bathroom, making it in time to heave over the edge of the bowl. Nothing came up, so I was soon sitting on the side of the bed feeling like hell. There was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Ana?"

"Come in Gail," I said, my voice hoarse and scratchy.

"Mr. Grey asked me to bring you a light breakfast and to let you know Dr. Greene will be here in an hour."

Of course; because I needed to have a house-call from Seattle's top obs/gyn on a Sunday morning. "Did he say anything…?" I checked.

"No. But he did give me a list of foods that are not to be served for the foreseeable future. Soft cheeses, pate, raw fish and the like." Gail was smirking. "He seems very pleased?"

"He's over the moon," I said with a giggle. "I didn't tell him you knew before him."

"Don't worry, Ana. I'll look suitably surprised when he tells us," she promised.

With a cup of tea and some toast on board, I felt considerably better. After a quick shower and dressing in a skirt and top, I made my way out to the kitchen carrying my tray.

"Where's Christian?" I asked Gail.

"Mr. Grey is in his study," she replied, her eyes twinkling.

I walked through to see Christian printing out four or five pages.

"What are you doing?"

"Just printing our list of questions for Dr. Greene."

My eyebrows shot up. "You have _four pages_ of questions?!"

"Five," he admitted, looking sheepish.

"You know if we're pregnant, there'll be other visits and chances to ask questions, right?"

"I know. I want to be on top of things."

At that moment I honestly felt pity for Dr. Greene. I did not doubt that Christian's constant questions, desire for everything to be perfect, and need for control was going to make the next nine months hell for her. I must have a discussion with him about boundaries. Hers and mine.

"Darling? How about we be guided by Dr. Greene? She's done this thousands of times before."

"She might have. But _we_ haven't. I need to do this right, Anastasia. I need to prove I'm nothing like _her."_

His birth mother. Of _course._ I should have appreciated fatherhood would bring out a raft of emotions and feelings about Christian's formative years. My poor darling fifty. I thought carefully before I replied.

"Christian you're in a very different place to where she was when she had you. We have a lot of love and support, we're financially stable," talk about the understatement of the year, "and we have each other. We're doing this _together."_

"I'm scared I'll fuck it up," he said tugging at his hair in a way I found utterly adorable.

"I'm scared, too," I said, smiling nervously. "I think it would be odd if we _weren't."_

A discreet knock interrupted us. "Mr. Grey? Miss Steele? Dr. Greene has arrived," Taylor announced from the doorway.

Giving Christian's hand a reassuring squeeze, I led him through to the great room where Dr. Greene was sitting on our sofa, looking impeccable in a two-piece suit. It looked like Chanel – and with what she no doubt earned, I bet it wasn't a knockoff.

"Mr. Grey," she greeted, giving Christian a cool look. "Miss Steele." I was pleased to see her smile at me was more genuine. "You needed an urgent appointment?"

Gail came over at that moment with a tray of refreshments, putting it on the low coffee table before making herself scarce.

"Yes. Thank you for making yourself available." Christian was being his most charming, but Dr. Greene wasn't buying it. "It appears despite all our best efforts, Anastasia may be pregnant."

"I see," Dr. Greene said, turning to me. "Have you done a home test?"

"Two. On Friday. They were both positive, and I've been feeling sick in the mornings. As well as that my sense of smell has increased tenfold, I'm tired all the time, and it seems like when I'm not sleeping, I'm peeing!"

Dr. Greene smiled. "It seems like you've got most of the early symptoms. However, I'd like to confirm the pregnancy via a blood test and book you in for a scan in a couple of weeks."

"A couple of weeks?" Christian growled. "This is why I wanted to meet at your rooms – so all your equipment would be available!"

The doctor turned to him giving him a no-nonsense stare. "Mr. Grey… Firstly we need to establish if Miss Steele _is_ pregnant. Depending on the timing of the conception, there is no point scanning until about seven weeks. Before that time, a baby's heartbeat cannot be detected by a scan, and it can be distressing to have a scan and not confirm a viable pregnancy. So today I will take blood, Miss Steele's weight, blood pressure and a more detailed medical history. Once the results are back, if it's positive then I will get my rooms to schedule an appointment with Miss Steele for a scan."

Christian was glowering but appeared slightly mollified by the doctor's explanation. I rubbed his forearm soothingly.

"Please excuse Christian. He's very excited about the baby, so wants to make sure everything goes well."

"So you plan to proceed with the pregnancy if the bloods come back positive?" The question was to both of us, but she primarily looked at me.

"Of course we're proceeding," Christian snapped.

"Miss Steele?" Dr. Greene asked.

"Ana, please. And yes. This obviously wasn't planned, but Christian and I are happy about our little miracle."

Christian grabbed my hand and brought my knuckles to his lips, kissing them in reverence. We shared a tender little glance. Not planned didn't mean not loved and wanted.

"That's fine. I just needed to check. It's standard procedure when a patient falls pregnant despite using contraceptives. If you _were_ to want a termination, until ten weeks, it's handled via medication. After that, it's medication and a surgical procedure."

I could see Christian getting ready to blow his gasket, so I quickly moved the doctor along. We did weight, blood pressure, she took my medical history and then we discussed the likely timing of conception. She agreed it was most likely the incident in New York which had provided the opportunity for us to conceive, which started Christian off on a series of questions about how the drugs Hyde had given me could affect the baby. After twenty minutes running through Christian's extensive list, we were finally starting to wind up.

"Is there anything else?" the doctor said, her tone indicating she was at the end of her patience.

"I'd like to request, where possible, Ana's prenatal appointments are conducted here. When it is necessary for her to attend your rooms, we'd appreciate a private timeslot. As you can appreciate, I am well-known in Seattle. Once the press discovers Anastasia is expecting my child, they are likely to be relentless. I'd like to delay that as long as possible."

The doctor looked sympathetic. "I could stop by here on the way home as necessary. You'd only need to come in for the ultrasound scans."

"What's an ultrasound scanner worth?" Christian asked speculatively.

"It depends on the model. The most accurate is around $50,000."

"If we had one, could you use it here?"

Dr. Greene looked flabbergasted. "I don't see why not…"

"Order your preferred model and any other supplies you need. Contact this number, and they'll arrange to pay the suppliers directly." Christian jotted a number on the back of one of his sheets of questions and handed it to Dr. Greene.

"An _ultrasound machine,_ Christian?" I commented, exasperated beyond belief.

"Ana, baby – once the press knows you're pregnant it's going to be a circus. If Dr. Greene can conduct your appointments here, then we know they will be absolutely private and confidential. We can keep the ultrasound machine for subsequent pregnancies, or donate it somewhere. There are charitable organizations that are _always_ in need of the latest medical equipment. The GEH charitable wing will be able to find a suitable recipient."

Dr. Greene gave Christian her first genuine smile. "You're right," she said, a smile crossing her face. "A high-end ultrasound machine could make a world of difference in the right hands. When the time comes, if your charitable department needs any pointers, get them to give me a call."

She stood up, shaking Christian's hand and then my own.

"Ana, if you have any questions, feel free to call me. Mr. Grey? You can write yours down and wait for our scheduled appointments."

I stifled a giggle at Christian's irritated expression. He didn't look pleased! Together we walked the doctor to the lift.

"Your bloods will be back by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. I'll call your cell with the results, Ana."

"Thank you, Dr. Greene. And thank you for coming here today. As you can imagine, it's a very exciting time for Christian and me – we appreciate your patience."

Once she'd departed, Christian and I stood in the entry to the great room.

"I know it's not official, yet, but you heard her. Two home tests positive and your symptoms. I don't want to tell everyone, but I think it's appropriate we let Gail and Taylor know. Gail needs to know there are foods you can and cannot eat, and I'd prefer Taylor was across all the particulars in case it becomes a matter of safety."

I gave a solemn nod. Telling people was a big thing, and since I knew Gail, and possibly Taylor, already knew I saw no harm in telling them things were probably about to change in a very major way.

Christian walked toward the staff quarters, pressing two buttons at the side of the entry to the connecting hallway.

"It's a doorbell, of sorts," he explained seeing my confused expression. "If you press the one on the left it connects to the security office for Taylor or whichever CPO is on duty. The one on the right connects to their apartment."

We'd moved back to the kitchen when Gail and Taylor appeared. Christian took my hand, and I could see from Taylor's expression he knew what was coming, but like me he wanted Christian to have this moment.

"Gail? Taylor? You've been with me a long time. You've seen a lot of change around here over the years, but I need you to prepare for the biggest one yet. It gives me great pleasure to let you know Dr. Greene was here just now to take bloods to confirm Anastasia's pregnancy. We'll know for sure by tomorrow, but it's almost certain that Ana and I are expecting a baby."

"Oh! A baby in the house! How wonderful!" Gail squealed very believably. She was exuberant and effusive in her congratulations, and while the surprise was feigned, the good wishes were not. Taylor was equally as generous in his regards, shaking Christian's hand before giving me a sweet, and suitably chaste, kiss on the cheek.

As soon as the news was out, Christian took Gail aside, going through the not allowed food list before giving detailed and lengthy instructions about foods, particularly related to preparation and hygiene. Gail was a good woman, listening to his concerns and even making notes. I had no concerns that the meals Gail cooked would be anything other than healthy, nutritious and prepared with the utmost care and attention, but it made Christian feel better to place stipulations, so Gail went along with it.

"He's going to be unbearable throughout this, isn't he?" I asked Taylor, smiling despite myself.

"I do not doubt it, Miss Steele. It's part and parcel of being an expectant father," he said with a knowing wink.

Heavens help us. It would be a miracle if the three of us made it through the next nine months without murdering the mercurial Mr. Grey!


	34. Chapter 34

I was sitting at my desk at GEH on Monday morning, flying a solar powered toy helicopter around my office. It was a close match to Charlie Tango. Ana said she'd seen it in a toy store and knew I had to have it for my birthday. She'd also bought me a watch and cufflink tray, which now sat in pride of place on 'my' side of our bedroom dresser.

My cell rang, and I would have cursed, except it was a snippet of The Ronettes' tune, 'Baby I Love You.' Ana's ringtone. I flew the helicopter back to my desk, putting down the controls and picking up my phone.

"Hey! How are you feeling?" I'd had an early meeting, so Ana had been eating breakfast when I left.

"Good. Mrs. Jones sent me with lunch, fruit and some crackers, but so far so good."

We both paused.

"So, Dr. Greene called…"

"AND?!"

"And I hope you have a good day at work today… _Daddy."_

Ana whispered the last word, but my heart soared.

"Really!? She's sure!?"

"No doubt about it. We'll have our first scan in a fortnight at Escala."

I took down the details. I'd get Andrea to put it in my diary and let her know it wasn't to be moved under any circumstance. Now Ana was a permanent fixture in my life, I'd also better let Andrea know to consult with Ana on my social engagements and travel. Ana and I chatted a few more minutes before she had to go back to work. I didn't like the idea of her working – if I'd had my way she'd be curled up in our bed at home – but one incredulous look when I'd suggested that this morning had been enough to silence my arguments.

"Andrea? Can you come in?" I said after punching a digit on my phone. Moments later Andrea stepped into my office, coiffed and calm as always. But the presence of a wizzing toy helicopter flitting around the room was enough to make her smile.

"A birthday present from Anastasia," I said with a smile and a shrug as I flew it back to my desk. I thought I heard her mumble something about boys and their toys before she sat in front of my desk.

"Yes. Happy birthday, sir."

"Andrea? I wanted to let you know that Miss Steele has agreed to move in with me. Permanently. Accordingly, I'd like her consulted about which social engagements to accept. She will be my plus one for the events I attend, so I'd appreciate you letting her know which are more important and brief her on them accordingly. Could you also book a beauty appointment for her the afternoon before any event for any necessary hair and beauty treatments?"

"At Esclava?"

"No," I growled. "Somewhere else. Somewhere that uses organic and natural products."

"I'll find somewhere suitable," she promised, jotting it down. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. There will be a series of appointments coming up. Miss Steele will let you know when they are. They are an absolute priority and are not to be missed or double booked for any reason without my express permission."

"Appointments?"

"With Miss Steele and Dr. Greene at Escala." She was good. Other than a flash of understanding in her eyes, there was no reaction. "Also, I wanted to remind you that if Ana calls or drops by I'm to be interrupted, no matter _what_ I am doing."

"Of course, sir." A smile was lurking at the edges of her lips. She knew what was going on.

"Alright. Go on and say it," I said flushing a bit.

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Andrea. It's _very_ early days, so we're keeping the information to ourselves for now."

"I understand. Is Miss Steele suffering from morning sickness much?"

"A little; as long as she eats it seems to be ok. Oh – and she's sensitive to smells."

"I'll stock up on some crackers for the tea room here for when she visits, and I'll make sure from now on the flowers on this level are scentless."

Andrea had only just left my office when Ros entered it.

"Legal have looked over the contracts for Esclava, and you have a few options," she said flopping into the chair Andrea had just vacated.

"Oh?" I asked, picking up my helicopter controls and sending the toy wizzing around the room while I listened.

"Well, the contract has more holes than a five-year-old's first knitting project. It depends how pissed you're feeling?"

How pissed _was_ I feeling? It wasn't just about Elena showing up at my parents' despite me explicitly telling her I didn't want her around Anastasia. Since Ana's birthday bombshell, I'd been thinking a lot about the sort of life I wanted for our child. When I thought about what had happened between Elena and me happening to my son or daughter, it made me feel violently angry. I was still trying to reconcile it in my mind – that Elena did that to me when I wasn't old enough to make an informed decision about it – but right now I'd resolved enough to know I wanted to cut Elena out of my life like a cancerous tumor.

"Worst case?" I asked, watching the helicopter and refusing to meet Ros' eyes.

"Very worst case you could force her out of the partnership altogether, leaving you the sole owner."

The salons were chicken feed compared to my other enterprises, and I didn't want the hassle of having to replace Elena. "What else?"

"You could sell your share without consulting her. Most contracts have a clause where one party has to give the other first option to purchase, but it's missing in this case."

"Is that right?" I asked. My day just kept getting better and better!

"It is. I made a couple of discreet inquiries, and Stan Silvers might be interested in buying your share."

"Who?"

"Honestly, Christian – do you live under a rock? He's on TV, radio and the gossip pages all the time. Stan Silvers – 'cut-price hairdressing for terrific tresses?' He owns a chain of salons all over the west coast. Lives in Hollywood and drives a silver glitter Bentley. The guy is tacky as hell, but he knows his business."

I sniggered. I could imagine Elena having to deal with someone like that.

"Sounds like a match made in heaven! Go for it."

"How much do you want?"

"As much as you can get me!"

"Leave it with me, boss."

"So how did Gwen pull up on Sunday?"

"Dismally. She lay in bed most of the day with her head hanging over a bucket. And she nearly spewed in the Aston Martin on the way home! Next time I swear we're taking her truck!" Gwen's 'truck' was a fully kitted out pickup in lolly-pink with every conceivable added extra. It was her pride and joy. "I blame those cocktails your father makes. They're lethal!"

"There's a reason I stopped at one," I replied.

"You and Ana looked happy."

"We are."

"She's a keeper that one." Ros was using her serious voice.

I flashed Ros a bright smile. "Don't worry – I know it."

* * *

"I thought I'd find you in here." I was standing in the doorway to the library watching Ana as she was checking the shelves and consulting a list in her hand. "What are you looking for?"

"Just seeing if you have copies of the books that Leila ruined. Some of them were my favorites, so I'll replace the ones you don't have."

"We could pick them up at Strand Books while we're in New York on the weekend. That's if you're still up to traveling?"

"I am, although I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have for books. Kate has a whole day of shopping planned." She groaned, and I swear the sound made my cock twitch.

"She can have you for four hours. Tops! Elliot and I have some business to attend to Saturday afternoon, but after that, I want you to myself."

"She's going to notice if I'm not drinking. I'll probably have to tell her before then."

"As long as she doesn't tell Elliot. He can't keep a secret for love or money."

"I'll do lunch with her this week and tell her then. I'll swear her to secrecy."

"Tell her somewhere private," I cautioned. "Actually, take her to the Mile High Club. Use one of their private rooms."

"Kate and I don't need anything that fancy," Ana argued. "It's so expensive there."

"Not for you it isn't. GEH owns it. When you've worked out a day, just give Andrea a call, and she'll book it for you and have you added to the approved list so that you can make future bookings for yourself."

"There's a _list?"_

"Yeah. My parents. Ros. A few of the execs from GEH. We do a fair bit of business there."

"Not Elliot or Mia?"

I laughed. "Elliot hates fine dining, and Mia would be there with her friends for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let her."

"Have you thought about when we should tell your family?" Ana asked.

"I did some research, and most couples wait until around twelve weeks. If we assume we're four to five weeks now, that means twelve weeks will be right around Labor Day long weekend. My parents usually do a big party at Bellevue for the extended family and friends. It would be the perfect time to announce it." I didn't tell Ana, but I hoped we'd be announcing our engagement then as well as our pregnancy.

"I wouldn't want to hijack your parents' special occasion," Ana replied, biting her lip in a way that threatened to divert me completely.

"Are you _kidding?!_ Mom will be _beside_ herself announcing she has a grandbaby on the way to all her closest friends. Trust me – it will make her day!"

"I'll call my Mom after we tell your family, but I'd like to tell Ray earlier. I don't think I can keep something so major from him for so long."

I nodded. It was different for Ana. She was the one growing our child, and in many ways, growing up it was just she and Ray. I could understand why she wanted to tell him first. And that worked in with my plans, too. I wanted to ask for his blessing before I proposed to Ana. A trip to Montesano would be better than doing it over the phone.

"Let's go for a visit a few weeks before Labor Day. We can tell him our happy news together and invite him to my parents' house for Labor Day."

* * *

Ana and I were curled up together on the sofa in the library when Taylor knocked. I was trying not to be _too_ obvious about caressing her still flat belly, but Ana's knowing smirk indicated she was on to me.

"Mr. Grey? A moment?"

I looked up, my eyes meeting his. My glare told him this had better be good. His raised eyebrows assured me it was.

"I'll be back in a minute, baby." I'd been coaxing from Ana her modest ideas for making the library her own. She was thinking a small bureau, a Chesterfield, and lots of soft throws and rugs. I'd have someone help her design it. A female. Scratch that… I didn't want a bitch like Gina Mateo anywhere near Ana. I'd get Andrea to find a male interior designer. A really, really, gay one.

"Taylor?" I growled once I'd stood up and moved out of the library.

"Sorry, sir. Mrs. Lincoln has been calling your office and here every five minutes for the last hour, and Ms. Bailey has also left a couple of messages with Gail asking you to call her."

I couldn't help but smile. I had a fair idea what this was about.

"Thanks, Taylor," I said, walking through to my office where I'd dumped my cell before going to find Ana. Sure enough, there were numerous missed calls from Elena and a few from Ros. Starting with an ally, I rang Ros first.

"Grey? Where've you been? Silvers wanted an immediate answer to his offer. I couldn't raise you, so I accepted."

I grunted in acquiesce. I was prepared to pay someone to take it on provided they'd give Elena grief. Now my eyes had been opened, I couldn't see her as anything other than an opportunist and a predator.

"That's fine. What did you get?"

"One point four," she replied smugly.

"Million?!" I asked in surprise. Even the most optimistic appraisals had placed the worth of the salons at around two million – and that was including a generous goodwill component. None of the well-heeled Seattle ladies who frequented Esclava would continue to patronize the place once it became associated with Stan Silvers' cut-price chain, so it beggared belief he'd pay so much for three salons that would lose value almost immediately once it was known he was a part owner.

"I got the sense it was personal. Mrs. Lincoln bagged Silvers in a trade article a few months back. He was willing to spend over and above if it gave him the chance to teach her a lesson."


	35. Chapter 35

"Everything ok?" I asked as Christian came back into the library.

"Fine. I have to make a call, but I can do it here with you…" Christian sat back on the sofa and pulled me against him, resting one hand on my lower stomach, the other playing with his phone. He dialed a number before putting the phone on the back of the sofa with the speaker on.

"Christian! I just got a phone call from Stan Silvers summoning me to a meeting at the salons tomorrow afternoon. He said as the new part owner he wanted to discuss strategic direction with me?"

Ahh. So, Mrs. Lincoln. I raised an eyebrow at Christian, and he smirked, raising his finger to motion for me to be quiet and listen.

"That's exciting. Esclava has been coasting for a while now if the books are anything to go by. Hopefully, a new direction will pick things up?"

"Then it's true? You _sold your stake to Stan Silvers?"_ she shrieked, the thin veneer of self-composure disappearing altogether.

"Yes. That's right. Paid me a pretty penny for it, too."

"Why didn't you consult me? I would have bought you out?!"

"Sorry. Silvers' offer was too good to refuse." Christian was grinning.

"I won't turn my salons into cut-price hairdressers! I'll lose all my clientele!"

"Oh, I am sure you and Silvers can work something out…"

"This is because of that little bitch you're fucking, isn't it? She doesn't like me, so you fuck me over? I was there for you, Christian, when no one else was. I gave you the capital to start your empire. Without me, you would be _nothing!"_

"Believe that if it makes you feel better, Elena. I made my position about you meeting Ana quite clear. Now we have no business dealings, you have no need to call or visit me. You're just somebody I used to know."

"You haven't heard the last from me, Christian," she said, her words clearly a threat.

"This _better be_ the last I hear from you. It will be worse for you if it isn't," he growled, picking up the phone and pressing end.

Christian leaned in and kissed me.

"Ros sold my interest in Elena's salons today."

"So I gathered. Did you do ok with the deal?"

Christian grinned. "Yep! Ros got us one point four million. By my estimates, my share was worth about eight-hundred thousand, even with Elena siphoning off a decent share of the profit in cash each year, so it wasn't included in the profits."

"She was stealing from you even while you were partners?" I was shocked. After everything that bitch had done to him, she stole from him, too?!

"Almost certainly. But it was cheaper to let her take it. The amount I'd have to spend on an audit to catch her would have been more than she was stealing. Anyway – not my problem now."

"Do you really think she's gone?"

"Probably not, but I have people to deal with it if she gets nasty."

"What if she discloses something about your lifestyle?" I wouldn't put it past the bitch to do it.

"She has more to lose than I do. I had contracted consensual relationships with adult women. She molested me when I was fifteen."

My heart clenched at the words, and I cuddled closer to my darling man.

"You can see that now?"

"I can. I'm not ready to fully explore it, yet, but I can see it." My poor fifty. He sounded so unsure of himself, and I knew he hated feeling that way. The realization was enough, for now, so I backed off.

* * *

"Um, Andrea? This is Ana. Anastasia Steele." Tuesday lunchtime and I was taking Christian up on his offer of lunch at the Mile High Club.

"Yes, Miss Steele. Are you calling for Mr. Grey? I can put you right through."

"Um… No. Christian said I was to call you if I wanted to book a private room at the Mile High Club?"

"Of course. When are you thinking, and for how many?"

"Two, and I was hoping for 1.00pm tomorrow?"

"I'll have it set up. Would you and your guest like to pre-order? I can email you the menu so your food will be ready as soon as you arrive."

I hadn't thought about that, but that was a brilliant idea. I got an hour for lunch, so preordering made sense.

"Yes, please. That would be great. My email address is…"

"I have it here. And your guest is?"

"Kate Kavanagh, her email is…"

"I have hers, too. I'll send the menu across to you both." Wow. She really _was_ efficient! "Also, Miss Steele, Mr. Grey has asked me to involve you in arranging his social engagements from now on. As you can imagine, Mr. Grey is invited to a large number of balls, galas, fundraisers, and business get-togethers; he wants you to be involved in the selection of which to attend."

"He does?" I was _so_ out of my depth, here. "Do you have a system already in place?"

"Well, ma'am, I do, but Mr. Grey has asked me to arrange these with you from now on."

"Andrea, _please._ It's Ana. Not Miss Steele and sure as hell, not ma'am! How do you arrange things now?"

"Right now, there are a handful of invitations I automatically accept; any charity Mr. Grey patrons and the same for those headed by his parents. These are usually diarized well in advance. Also, there are often social dinners Mr. Grey is obliged to attend when he is negotiating or has closed a deal. Some of these involve partners, and some don't. Finally, a few times a month I accept one of the ad hoc invitations Mr. Grey receives."

"Ad hoc?"

"Art exhibitions, theatre, restaurant openings, smaller charities, speaker at universities or conferences and that sort of thing."

"Oh, I see. How are _those_ selected?"

"Honestly a lot depends on Mr. Grey's mood and whether it ties in with his corporate or charitable interests and who's likely to be there," Andrea confided, and for the first time, I got a sense of the woman behind the impeccable façade. "I try to balance his schedule – so if it's been a busy week and he's short-tempered, then I might accept something like a gallery opening where he can make a quick appearance and leave. On a quieter week, I might accept a dinner invitation."

"Ok. So how do suggest we manage this going forward? I'm still learning about all Christian's business interests, so I don't want to miss something important accidentally."

"Well – I can send you a list of events for the charities Mr. Grey patrons, so you can let me know whether you'd both like to attend?"

"That would be wonderful. Do you think you could send me information about each event? Like the dress code and the charity?"

"It would be my pleasure. For the less pressing and private engagements, perhaps we could touch base once a week? I can give you an overview of where you've been invited, and you can let me know any private engagements the two of you have so I can diarize them. I don't have to know what they are – you can just tell me you've blocked out time and I'll make sure nothing overlaps."

"Honestly, Andrea, that would be wonderful," I sighed in relief. The whole concept of having to go to galas and balls was frankly completely overwhelming. "I'd appreciate all the help you can give me. This is a steep learning curve for me."

"Ana? Mr. Grey has been a different man since you've come along. I've never seen him so happy, and he's been so much easier to work for. Anything I can help you with, you just let me know!"

Minutes after I'd finished talking with Andrea, the menu for the Mile High Club arrived along with an email address to send my selections. I was trying to work out what on the menu was pregnancy friendly when my cell rang.

"The _Mile High Club?"_ Kate squealed. "What's that about?!"

I giggled.

"It's halfway between your work and mine. Besides, Christian owns it."

"GEH owns the Mile High Club?" she gasped. "I didn't know that."

"Apparently so. I only get an hour for lunch, so Christian's PA suggested we preorder."

"Sounds good to me. Why didn't she send the cocktail list?"

"There'll be plenty of time for that when we get there."

"Spoilsport," Kate laughed. "I miss you, Ana. It feels like I never see you anymore."

"You saw me Saturday," I defended, but I felt the same way. We'd gone from best friends and flatmates to seeing each other at family functions.

"I know, but we couldn't really _talk._ Now I'm moving in with Elliot; I worry we'll never get a chance to see each other!"

"You're moving in with Elliot?!"

"See! _This_ is what I mean! Yes. He asked me on Sunday when I was nursing him back to health from the hangover from hell."

"Carrick's cocktails?"

"Oh hell – not you, too?! I saw you disappear upstairs…"

I giggled. No – it was Christian's cock, not his father's cocktails, that had caused me to be queasy. But _that_ was a discussion for tomorrow.

"They're lethal! I've heard more than one person was feeling worse for wear on Sunday!"

"Elliot was such a baby. He was so pathetic; I couldn't turn him down when he finally asked if I'd move in with him!" I hadn't been to Elliot's place, yet, so I asked Kate about it. For the next ten minutes, I ate my lunch at my desk and listened to Kate's description of Elliot's home and all the things she intended to change when she officially moved in.

"I mean – I don't mind _one_ drawer of porn, but there should be a limit, don't you think?! Should I tell him that I've found his stashes?!"

"I don't know, Kate," I replied, secretly amused at the idea of that conversation.

"Have you found Christian's porn, yet?"

"Kate – there are whole rooms at Escala I am yet to visit."

"Well - when you first got together, Elliot did say you're Christian's first girlfriend. Maybe he does have a whole room filled with porn!"

I covered the mic of the phone while I laughed. No, Kate – not a roomful of porn. He has a room filled with apparatus and equipment where porn could be filmed.

"I'll see you tomorrow! 1:00 pm," I quickly blurted out before hanging up then putting my head on my desk and crying with laughter!

* * *

By the time Wednesday lunch had come around, I was well and truly ready for a relaxing meal with Kate. My day had started with Roach calling me to his office to let me know their initial inquiries for a new editor had not turned up anyone of quality, as yet. Accordingly, he wanted me to continue in my current role, but read survey the most promising manuscripts submitted and put anything viable through to Cheryl with my recommendations. It was a relief to have more to do than filing and correspondence, and I was hoping to use the opportunity to prove myself a little.

Security had been scaled back slightly after Leila was apprehended, but Sawyer and Prescott still took it in turns to stay in the SIP office every day while I was working. It was Sawyer's turn, today, so at ten to one I buzzed his phone, and we met at the elevator to ride to the basement. We could have walked to the Mile High Club, but Christian had asked me to let Sawyer drive me.

In minutes we were pulling into the basement carpark, pulling into a bay marked 'reserved.'

"Christian's reserved spot?" I asked.

Sawyer nodded. "You can park in any of these three when you attend," he commented, pointing to the bay we were in and the two beside them.

We climbed into the elevator but only made it to ground level before the doors opened and others stepped in, including Kate.

"Ana!" she said, stepping forward and hugging me. "I _love_ the dress! And are they new shoes, too? Publishing obviously pays better than journalism," she laughed.

She kept up the friendly chatter as we were whisked upstairs to the restaurant. At the reception desk, I stepped forward, trying to sound confident as I announced, "A private room booked for Anastasia Steele."

A well-groomed woman my age replied, "Ah yes – the owner's suite. Please come through."

She led us through the main dining area to large doors at the other end. I was, frankly, gawking at all the people eating and drinking. These were Seattle's movers and shakers. Almost every seat was taken, although the tables by the windows were the most popular. My eyes ran along the various parties, stopping when they landed on a table for two by the window where Elena Lincoln sat dining with Carrick Grey.

My eyes widened, and I sped up my pace slightly, racing to get through the doors to the owner's suite before they saw Kate and me.

"Wow, this is something!" Kate giggled when we stepped inside, oblivious to the presence of Carrick and Elena in the main part of the restaurant on the other side of the wall. I had to admit; Kate had a point. The room had movable walls, so I was guessing it could be made larger if needed. For today, there was a single table with two chairs overlooking the Seattle skyline. In fact, I could see GEH from here.

Once we were seated, Kate perused the cocktail list while I instructed Sawyer to take his lunch break. I was safe enough here.

"What about a sneaky Cosmopolitan or two over lunch?" Kate suggested, her eyes alight with mischief.

"Not for me. I'll go a cranberry spritzer."

"Oh, come on, Ana. We never have a chance to get together and talk! Just one drink?"

I smiled before I shook my head. "I really can't Kate... I'm pregnant."


	36. Chapter 36

"She thought you were joking?"

"At first. But I convinced her I was telling her the truth."

"How did she take it?" I was worried Kate would tell Ana she was too young and was ruining her life. While we'd come a long way since the early days back in their old apartment, I knew Kate wouldn't hesitate to say it as she saw it.

"She's actually very excited about being an auntie! She said she's always known I'd find someone special and settle down young. She's still going to read you the riot act about taking care of the baby and me and all that, but fundamentally she's thrilled for us."

"And you told her not to tell Elliot?"

"About six times… She knows."

"So, what else did you talk about?"

"Elliot's asked Kate to move in, and she's found his porn stash."

"Which one?!"

"Yes. Exactly! There was something else while we were there…"

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Drinks?

 **Date:** July 8, 2011 15:17

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian,  
The girls at work have invited me to work drinks this afternoon. Of course, I won't be drinking, but I'd like to go to socialize with the other SIP staff. I'll take Prescott with me, but I was wondering if you'd like to join me? You said the announcement about SIP's new ownership will occur on Monday; I thought it might be nice if the people I work with know you first as my boyfriend before they find out you're their new boss?

Anastasia Steele  
Editorial Assistant, SIP

I growled softly, my eyes narrowing. I hated the terms boyfriend and girlfriend. I couldn't wait until I could call Ana my fiancée, or better still my wife. Speaking of fiancée, I'd received a very pleasing phone call a couple of hours ago. On Saturday I was due to meet with New York's three biggest diamond merchants. Two of them I'd dealt with before, but one I knew only by recommendation and reputation.

Levi Ziegler was probably the biggest name in the New York diamond scene, despite servicing a relatively small market share. Strictly catering to the upper echelon of clientele, Ziegler only dealt in conflict-free stones worth over half a million. He'd called to explain he'd be unable to see me tomorrow as he observed the Shabbat, but he had a range of stones for me to look at and had arranged for a colleague to show them to me.

There was one, in particular, that sounded ideal. D color, and internally flawless, the eight-carat oval-shaped diamond sounded perfect for Ana's finger. She was so petite; a round stone would be too ostentatious. An oval diamond set lengthwise upon her finger would give her the size I wanted without being tastelessly showy. I had an idea for the setting. A stylized infinity symbol forming the arms to support the stone. What I had in mind would be substantial, but with an elegant simplicity. I couldn't help the smile that came to my lips as I imagined the perfect ring on Ana's beautiful finger - showing every fucker out there that she was mine.

I nodded and smiled at the team from the small startup, here to pitch for a minor contract in our solar division. They were freaking out that 'the' Christian Grey was present to hear their pitch. They didn't know it, but the technology they were sitting on was worth hundreds of thousands. _Maybe more. Far_ beyond what they were asking for it. I looked back at my phone.

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Re: Drinks?

 **Date:** July 8, 2011 15:29

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Anastasia,  
It would be my pleasure to escort you to this afternoons after work drinks for SIP. Is the venue still Fifty's? Please let me know what time to collect you from SIP. I will escort you to the venue – this is not negotiable.

We have dinner with Kate and Elliot at eight at Canlis. We will leave from there to fly to New York. It is a six-hour flight on the GEH jet, and a three-hour time difference, so if we leave at 10:45 pm we'll arrive at 7:45 am New York time.

I'm very much looking forward to our weekend in New York together. I love you,

Christian Grey  
Totally Besotted CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

The most important business taken care of, I tuned back into the meeting.

"You're wasting your time, here." I interrupted their spiel, seeing nervous young people deflate under my words. "Your technology is worth a lot more than you think it is. A good businessman looks after himself first, always with an eye to the bottom line. A _better_ businessman recognizes and encourages talent when they see it. I'm interested in what you're here to show me today. But I'm more interested in what you have in development. Our interests align – I'd like to speak about how we can work together to both profit from an ongoing relationship rather than screwing you over for every cent for what you've come up with so far."

Leaving my head of technology to take over the more specific discussions, I shook the hands of the young men and women, knowing I'd just changed their lives in a significant way. Then I headed back to my office to settle as much as I could ahead of our weekend away.

"Mr. Grey? Your father is on line one."

Carrick rarely rang me; usually only if he was arranging something for Mom or Mia's birthdays. However, those were far enough away that I knew it wasn't about that. Given that Ana had seen him and Elena at the Mile High Club, I was willing to bet Elena had been in his ear about me selling my share of the salons.

"Grey," I said picking up the telephone handset.

"Christian," my father said, and I could hear the slight hesitation in his tone.

"Dad. I don't have a lot of time – I'm about to go to pick up Ana. What can I do for you?"

I don't know why, but I just knew this conversation would not go well.

"I heard you sold your half of the Esclava salons to Sam Silvers?"

"STAN Silvers. And yes, that's right."

"Why? Were they not profitable?"

"Not as profitable as they should have been," I said, letting that hint linger in the air before I continued, "and it was a sideline not worth pursuing. I got a good offer, and there was no reason to refuse."

"Elena Lincoln's loyalty was not enough? It's not _all_ about money you know, Christian." He paused, and I knew my father well enough to know he was considering his next words before he spoke them. "I thought I'd taught you better than that? Selling to Silvers has all but ruined Elena's business. She's one of your mother's best friends. Surely the profit you made wasn't worth humiliating her?" I wasn't sure which _her_ he meant. Grace? Or Elena?

My relationship with my father had always been complicated. While Grace had offered unconditional love and acceptance from the get-go, my father had always been a different kettle of fish. He'd struggled during my rebellious teenaged years more than Mom, and when I'd wanted to quit Harvard and start GEH my mother had been all for giving me the modest stake I'd asked for, but Carrick had been the one to insist on refusing me, forcing me even closer to Elena.

"I will say this once, and once only. Whatever you think you know about the history of Mrs. Lincoln and me isn't the truth. I needed to end our business relationship, and I needed to end it quickly. Stan Silvers was the right man with the right offer at the right time. Nothing more and nothing less. Now excuse me – I need to pick up Ana and then we're dining with Elliot and Kate before the four of us head to New York for the weekend. Please give Mom my love."

I replaced the handset in the cradle without waiting for a response. There was nothing Carrick could say to make me feel remorseful for what I'd done.

* * *

"Hey," I said when Ana appeared in the foyer with Prescott. She was wearing a pleated skirt and top with a cardigan around her shoulders for dress down Friday at SIP. She looked absolutely beautiful.

"Hey yourself," she replied, letting me brush my lips across hers before I put my arm around her shoulder, and she her arm around my waist. "Christian? This is Casey Rogers – she's an editorial assistant in romance. Casey this is my boyfriend, Christian Grey."

"Hey," Casey said gawking at me. At least this was the gawk of 'I'm standing next to a billionaire' not 'I want into his pants.' Over the years, I'd grown adept at differentiating between the two.

Another group joined us, and Ana introduced a few other editorial assistants before we crossed the street to 'Fifty's.' A discreet nod from Taylor on the way in indicated the place had been checked and cleared.

"Ana, I don't want you to accept a drink from anyone other than myself or security, ok?"

She looked at me, understanding flickering in those beautiful blue eyes. "Ok."

I sidestepped the issue by buying the first round, watching as Ana accepted an unopened bottle of soda from Prescott. We stood around, making small talk, some guy called Mark hanging off Casey's every word. It was boring as hell and reminded me why I avoided GEH drinks like the plague, but Ana seemed to be enjoying herself, and so it was worthwhile hanging around just to see that.

By 6:00 pm things were winding down, so it was time to take our leave.

"I'll see you on Monday," Casey said to Ana as we said our goodbyes. "It's going to be a big day. There's a meeting at 11:30 for us to meet the new owners of SIP." Ana's smile didn't falter, but I knew this was news to her.

"It's the standard when we buy a new company locally," I explained to Ana once we were in the back seat of the Audi. "A quick meet and greet to assure everyone their jobs are secure and to explain our plans to the workforce. I can send Ros if you want?"

She sighed. "No. If that's what you always do when you take over a company, then that's fine."

"Maybe I can take you for lunch afterward?"

"We'll see," she replied her lips twitching, so I knew not to push it.

* * *

Canlis was amazing. I'd called ahead and asked for pregnancy-safe foods, and sure enough – everything on the customized menus we received was safe for Ana and our precious bub.

I could tell from Elliot's usual silly demeanor that he had _no_ idea Ana was pregnant, but when Elliot wasn't looking, Kate gave me a couple of smiles that confirmed that she knew. Every gentle touch Ana and I shared caused Kate to grin, and I swear she nearly swooned when I stood to help Ana with her chair when she needed to use the bathroom.

By the time we'd finished, it was time to head to the airstrip. We met Ryan and Sawyer there, trading off with Taylor and Prescott who'd drive my vehicle back to Escala and Elliot's truck back to his place. The practicalities taken care of, we settled on board, quickly lifting into the night sky. Once we'd leveled off, Ana took Kate on a tour of the jet while I poured Elliot and me a scotch.

"Are we all set for tomorrow?" Elliot asked nervously, checking the girls weren't in earshot.

"Yeah. I have three appointments set up. I gave them your specs and price range, so they'll have a range of stones to show you."

"And then I get one made up into a ring?"

"That's the idea. The diamond merchant can put you in touch with a good designer. Some will already have settings they can modify, or you can get them to design something. Did you get an idea of her ring size?"

"I knocked off one of her dress rings," Elliot said proudly. "So, when are you thinking about proposing?"

"As soon as possible," I replied instantly. "I want Ana to be Mrs. Anastasia Grey before Christmas."

"That fast?"

He didn't know about the baby, and I wasn't ready to tell him, so I couldn't explain why it was so important to me that Ana become a Grey as soon as possible.

"When I want something, I want it now. You know that about me, Ell."

"And you think she's ready to say yes?"

Was I? Ana had agreed to have my child, and that was pretty much the biggest commitment someone could make. I was fairly confident when I asked her to spend her life with me she'd say yes.

"I hope so."

The girls were back from their tour, then, and I could see Ana was starting to flag.

"Sorry, guys, only one bedroom on board, but those seats recline into beds. It's been a long week – I'm going to get this one to bed," I said picking Ana up and carrying her to our bedroom in the sky. Ana giggled, waving at Kate and Elliot over my shoulder.

"Flying to New York on a private plane for a weekend of shopping. You don't do anything by halves, do you, Mr. Grey?" Ana mumbled as she changed into one of my TShirts that she'd appropriated as her nightdress. She had silk nightgowns worth thousands, but Ana preferred my Harvard rowing shirt.

"My job is to make all your dreams come true," I whispered, turning off the lights and slipping into bed beside Ana, wrapping my arms around her, and resting one hand on her lower belly.

* * *

 _For a look at Ana's dress down Friday outfit, check out the 'And So I Ran' album on my Facebook Page:  
www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters_


	37. Chapter 37

"Did Christian say what he needed Elliot's help with?" Kate asked as she was trying on her umpteenth pair of shoes.

"Hmm? No, I don't think so. I know he's been looking at some property to upgrade the New York office of GEH, so maybe it's that?"

"Meh. Gives us an excuse to go shopping, although we'll never get through all the shops I wanted thanks to our slow start this morning!"

Kate had wanted to be up and at the shops on opening, where I hadn't been as keen. For the first time since I'd discovered I was pregnant, I'd woken up without needing to run to the toilet, so Christian had taken full advantage of the situation by ordering Mrs. Cortez to bring me tea and toast in bed. And then we'd spent an hour worshipping one another.

In the end, the four of us had gone for a light lunch in Hell's Kitchen and then split up – Kate and me heading for 5th Avenue with Sawyer while Ryan accompanied Christian and Elliot. Now sitting in Bergdorf Goodman, I was watching as Kate singlehandedly attempted to fill the cargo hold of the GEH jet with shopping.

"You haven't bought anything," she grumbled, gesturing for an assistant to ring up five pairs of shoes.

"It seems silly to buy a lot when my body will be changing, soon." I wasn't vain, but I wasn't looking forward to putting on weight as the pregnancy progressed.

"There's always jewelry, handbags, shoes, and accessories," Kate counseled wisely.

She steered me toward the elevator, and we stepped out onto the seventh floor.

"If you don't buy anything for yourself, why don't you pick something up for the baby? I bet Mr. Megabucks would love it if you brought home something. Do you know when you're due yet?"

"Don't call him that! And we're not having the dating scan for another week, but I checked online, and it said sometime early March."

"So, you'll need warmer things, then," Kate said walking over to a rack of Gucci Baby. "A boy would look adorable in this!" she said, picking up a woolen Argyle Sweater Vest. She had a point.

"Two hundred and forty dollars for something an infant is going to spew on?" I gasped when I spotted the price tag, quickly looking around to make sure Sawyer was out of earshot. I wasn't sure whether Taylor had told the security staff, yet.

"Better get used to it, Steele. You're going to be inundated with gifts when people find out you're expecting. And no one is going to give baby Grey something cheap."

Ugh. I was already dreading the fuss and the waste. By some miracle, the press hadn't yet learned about Christian and me. But Kate was right; even without that Mia, alone, would probably buy enough to clothe three children. But it didn't mean I couldn't at least look, right?

"Oh, Kate! Look at that!" Hanging on the end of a rack, there was the sweetest little knitted playsuit in a dusky blue. With a striped collar, it had an adorable duck with a pom pom on the front.

"Aww – you _have_ to get that," Kate said, flicking through the rack and choosing the three to six-month size.

I giggled pointing to a girl's outfit by the same designer. A little tweed dress with matching bloomers, I could see me dressing a daughter in that before visiting Grandma Grace. It was precisely her style!

"And you have to get that, too."

I didn't even bother arguing. When a woman is right, she's right! I was relieved to see these outfits were at least a little less expensive than the Gucci. Taking them from Kate, I handed them to an assistant, along with my Amex Black Card. Christian had given it to me this morning, insisting I put any purchases on it. I felt funny using it, but I knew Christian would want to pay for the first things I bought for our baby.

"I still can't believe you're pregnant," Kate said smiling.

"If you had the morning sickness I've had, you'd believe it," I quipped.

"And Christian's been good to you?"

"Fussing like a mother hen," I giggled, telling her about the five pages of questions for Dr. Greene. "He's very excited."

Kate looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Yes, Kate?" I prompted.

"You're not just doing this for him, are you? You want the baby too?"

"I was worried at first about leaving my career before its even started, and also how I'd cope. But I want this, Kate. I love Christian, and I want to have his baby. It's very soon, but sometimes things happen for a reason."

"You're going to make a great Mom," she declared, looking happier after my reassurance. "And I'm going to make an awesome Auntie!"

"What about you and Elliot? Have you talked about the future? Kids?"

Kate looked dissatisfied. "Yes and no. He says things about the future and he sees me in it, but we never actually _talk_ about it! He's nearly thirty, he's financially secure, and he tells me all the time how much he loves me. I'm hoping moving in together might help things along a bit."

"Are you ready to commit?" I asked in surprise. Kate was the queen of the short-lived relationship, but so far everything had been different with Elliot.

"I've moved my shoe collection into his place. What's more committed than that?!" she joked, but I could see she was feeling a little down about it. "What about you? Do you think Christian might propose? You're living together, and now you have a baby on the way…"

"I thought he might have proposed when I told him about the baby, but he hasn't even hinted at it."

"Tell him you'll give the baby the last name Steele if he doesn't propose by the time it's born. That will move him along!"

I snorted, imagining Christian's reaction if I suggested giving our baby any surname other than Grey. But Kate was right – Christian and I did need to talk about how we saw our future together.

* * *

"So how was shopping?" Christian asked, coming over to kiss me as Sawyer carried in at least ten bags to the apartment.

"Good. Kate shopped up a storm!"

"I sure did," she said following me into the apartment, also laden with bags. "We went via Agent Provocateur," she said to Elliot, a teasing lilt to her voice.

"I'll help you with those bags, babe!" Elliot said, jumping off the sofa and walking across to Kate, giving us a lewd wink along the way.

"And did you pick up anything there?" Christian asked hopefully once his brother and my best friend were out of earshot.

"I might have." Kate convinced me that for a shopping trip to New York, Christian deserved me to model at _least_ one pretty bra and panty set. Once I'd taken a look at what was on offer, it had been impossible to stop at one. While Christian's AMEX hadn't gotten as much of a workout as Kate's, it had still seen a little action today.

He trailed me into our bedroom, peering into the bags hopefully.

"Lingerie later – there's something else I bought I want to show you."

I handed him the Bergdorf Goodman bag, sitting on the edge of the bed as he carefully pulled out the blue knit baby's playsuit.

"If the baby is a boy," I explained. He nodded, laying the outfit carefully on the pristine white bedlinen beside me. He pulled out the second outfit – the tweed girl's dress and bloomer set. "If the baby is a girl."

He laid the girl's outfit beside the boy's. "They're so tiny," he commented, his voice gruff.

"He or she will grow."

"They will," he agreed, pulling me to my feet and then spinning me in his arms, so we were both facing the end of the bed with the two little outfits. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. "There's so much we have to organize between now and then. But right now, I want something else…"

Christian started kissing my neck, slowly rubbing my breasts through the thin fabric of my blouse. They were so sensitive and sore a moan slipped unbidden from my lips.

"Does that feel good?" he asked, his voice telling me he already knew the answer.

"It does, Christian," I replied, my voice needy.

He kept one hand massaging my breast as the other deftly unbuttoned my blouse. Once it was open, he pulled the sides apart, stepping back and letting it flutter uselessly down my back, landing near our feet.

"Hmm – I think these are getting bigger," Christian announced, carefully weighing each breast in his hand, his thumbs almost casually passing over my throbbing nipples. With each gentle flick, I hissed and then groaned, my nipples pebbling under his touch. Continuing to kiss along my neck, Christian's hands made their way between us, and he made short work of the clasp of my bra. With the back undone, he pushed the straps down my shoulders, my bra falling in a lacey pile onto the bed in front of me. Then his fingers continued downward, trailing my spine until they ended at the zip of my skirt. Christian pulled it down almost roughly before tugging on my skirt and panties, letting them join the blouse on the floor. I stepped out of them, kicking them aside.

"I missed you today," Christian whispered into my ear, nipping lightly where my neck joined my shoulder. "I missed you so, fucking, much." He was grinding himself against my ass, already rock hard.

I was naked while he was still fully clothed, so I leaned back, letting his mouth and hands roam freely.

"Did your business go well?" I asked as Christian was toying with my breasts, kneading them in a way that was only just not painful.

"It did," he replied, sounding smug. "It will take a week or two to iron out all the specifics, but I'm quietly confident within a month it will be a successful acquisition."

"Hmm – I love it when you're in sexy CEO mode," I whispered. "It's such a turn on."

"You want me to be in charge, baby?" Christian asked, sounding amused.

I nodded, turning so I could look up at him through my eyelashes as I bit my lip.

"Hmm Miss Steele, your wish is for my command?! Then down!" He put his hands on my shoulders and pushed lightly, indicating I was to kneel in front of him. As I sunk to my knees, Christian was undoing his pants, pulling them and his briefs down to his ankles. His thick cock sprang free, bobbing in front of me as it stood proudly amongst the soft curls as its base. _God_ , I wanted Christian in my mouth.

"Touch me," he ordered. "I want you to stroke me."

I reached up, fisting his cock within my hand, pulling my hand up and down the shaft. Christian stood there, eyes closed, making soft grunts of appreciation. I leaned forward, parting my lips, wanting to take him in my mouth.

"Ah ah," Christian admonished, opening his eyes and shaking his head. "I said stroke, not suck."

He closed his eyes again and I returned to the task at hand. He was almost impossibly hard, and his tip was weeping pre-cum. I knew I'd just asked Christian to dominate me, but I was unable to resist. The beads of precious viscous liquid were about to spill over his glans and I couldn't help myself. Parting my lips, I bobbed forward, licking the head and his slit, swirling my tongue around the ridge of his cock.

"Ana!" Christian grunted, my unauthorized attack taking him by surprise. Emboldened by my action, I settled the head of his dick between my lips, sucking hard. Christian's hips bucked before his hands moved to my head. Rather than guiding my actions, he busied his fingers by twisting them through my locks and resting them inertly on my scalp, ceding control to me. I wasted no time taking advantage of the situation.

I alternated between taking him as deep as I could, then pulling back and focusing on the head. Christian was moaning, loud, and I had to hope Kate and Elliot were too busy enjoying their own alone time to pay any heed to ours! I could feel Christian swell under my hands and in my mouth and I knew he was about to blow.

"No," he said pulling back. "I want to cum inside you! On the bed," he demanded.

I rose to stand, climbing on top of the quilt and holding out my hand for Christian to join me.

"I thought you wanted me in charge?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous, his lips brushing my collarbone as he hovered over me.

"I couldn't resist. I love tasting you."

"Hmm. Aren't you the greedy little thing?"

I nodded coyly, knowing it only turned him on more.

"Well, Miss Steele, I think you need to be reminded who's in charge, here. Open your legs," he growled. Lying back, I immediately did as bid. I was already dripping for him, my pussy swollen with desire and need. Opening my legs to Christian's hungry gaze, my inner Goddess was doing cartwheels at the dark look of lust crossing his features.

"Touch yourself," he barked, moving to sit on his heels between my ankles as my right hand moved down to my slit, parting my lips. "That's it…" he hissed as I started rubbing myself, my fingertips circling my tight, wet pearl.

My eyelids were fluttering with pleasure, my breaths coming in wanton little gasps. I knew Christian wasn't going to like it, but I needed more. So without waiting for his permission, I started to finger myself, pumping the middle and index fingers of my left hand in and out of my hole while continuing to rub my clit with the right.

"Did I tell you to do that?" Christian asked gravely.

"You didn't tell me _not_ to," I replied sassily, looking at him and biting my lip. Oh, I was going to be in trouble for this.

"If you were a _sub,_ I'd think you wanted to be punished, Anastasia. That's _twice_ you've defied me."

Understanding coincided with a rush of wet warmth in my nether regions. _That's_ what I wanted! Ever since he'd found out we were pregnant, Christian's lovemaking had been sweet, loving and _oh so gentle._ I was frustrated! I wanted to be _fucked_ dammit!

"I want you," I explained, giving Christian a loaded look.

Christian was confused. He could see I was trying to tell him something, but he just wasn't getting it.

"Hard!" I hissed, flushed with embarrassment as well as desire. "I want you to fuck me so so hard, Christian!"

"Of course you do," he grinned, realization on his face as he was back in familiar territory. He pulled my hands from where I'd been pleasuring myself, climbing on top of me, using one hand to steady himself while he used the other to grab both my wrists, immobilizing them above my head.

What followed wasn't sweet or gentle, but God was it good! Plunging inside me relentlessly, Christian's firm grip on my wrists meant I could barely move. I had to lie there and take every thrilling gratifying thrust he gave me. Grunts and wails filled the air, along with filthy wet noises from where we joined. There was no doubt Christian was in charge as he sped towards his finale, dragging me along in his wake.

"Fuck Ana – I need you to cum!" Christian shouted loud enough to be heard from Times Square.

So I did, screaming my release, his name, as well as those of several Gods, I came long and hard, feeling Christian flood my cunt only moments after.

"Is that better?" Christian checked, sitting up once our fevered flesh had cooled and our breathing had returned to normal.

"That's exactly what I needed," I mewled, deliciously sated. I climbed into Christian's lap as he scooped up the baby clothing miraculously undisturbed by our fucking. We sat there together, completely loved up looking at the tiny little items I'd bought in anticipation of a tiny new human of our own.

* * *

The baby clothes were too cute not to show you! They're on my Facebook Page in an album titled "And So I Ran"  
www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters


	38. Chapter 38

"Christian Grey," I said, sticking my hand out and shaking the hand of New York's most influential diamond merchant. "I very much appreciate you making the time to see me, especially so early."

It wasn't yet 7:30 am, but Levi Ziegler was at his workplace, impeccably groomed, and waiting for me.

"I'm up at dawn anyway," he said in an oddly generous way. "A man wishing to propose is a man in a hurry." I laughed self-deprecatingly. He had me pegged! "So, you're interested in the oval eight carat stone?" Ziegler asked, as though he were speaking about some inconsequential matter, not a diamond worth over a million dollars.

"Yes. I'm every bit as impressed as you said I'd be," I ventured, recognizing this was not yet the time to negotiate. "I wanted to discuss with you your thoughts about a setting."

While Ziegler had a wealth of knowledge and skill when it came to stones, he was equally well connected when it came to high-end jewelers who could set the diamonds he sold. Even a phenomenal diamond would struggle to show to advantage in a poor quality setting.

"What of the lady?" he asked. "What is her nature and temperament?"

I understood what he was doing. He was trying to get a sense of the type of design that would suit Ana.

"She's beautiful," I said, watching as Levi all but rolled his eyes. I suppose _every_ hopeful groom said that. "She's smart, witty and didn't grow up with money. She isn't motivated by wealth or prestige. She'd be horrified if she knew how much I intend to spend on her engagement ring. She's pure, innocent and wears her heart on her sleeve. I want something simple for her. Understated and very classy. I saw something online I thought might suit?" I said, handing over a print out of an infinity design.

Levi looked at the design and shrugged.

"With a stone that size you won't see any of the detail. What about this?" he suggested, sketching on a notepad, taking my ideas and adjusting them slightly. And it was perfect. Uncomplicated, I could see the design on Ana's finger.

"How much and how long?"

"Six weeks and one and a half million."

"The stone is a million two hundred and fifty. Two hundred and fifty thousand is a lot for a setting and a few grams of gold."

"That would include a matching wedding band…"

"It would need to be made up of diamonds to make it worthwhile," I joked.

Ziegler regarded me. I knew it would be foolhardy to speak before he did, so I looked around his modest office. It was nothing special, and one could be forgiven for thinking one was in a bank manager's office - if it wasn't for the presence of two armed security guards for Ziegler, and Sawyer and Ryan with me. And the three-inch-thick solid door we'd stepped through to attend this meeting.

"So, make me an offer…" Levi said raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture.

"I want that stone, set as per your sketch. I also want a matching plain wedding band and matching eternity ring. The eternity ring is to have channel set diamonds along the front."

As I spoke, Ziegler was scratching on the piece of paper in front of him, designing complementary wedding and eternity rings. As soon as I saw them, I knew I was looking at Ana's wedding set.

"That's it. One point three five million. One point four if you can have the engagement ring ready in a fortnight. The other two rings can follow within a month."

"A fortnight?! You're killing me!" Ziegler said in an over exaggerated voice.

"Levi? I'm working on a fixed timeline here," I said with raised eyebrows. "This needs to happen sooner not later."

He smiled and shrugged. "It happens," he laughed, and I knew he understood what I meant. "One point four. Engagement ring in two weeks, the other rings _four_ weeks later?"

I smiled and stuck out my hand. I could live with that. One point four. Precisely what I'd earned from selling my share in Elena's salons. I liked the poetic justice of that!

"Congratulations, Mr. Grey. I wish you every success. I look forward to seeing that stone on your young lady's finger in the social pages soon."

* * *

"Where were you?" Ana grumbled, rolling over to cuddle me. It was just past 9:00 am Sunday morning, and I was still in the sweatpants and TShirt I'd worn to meet with Ziegler earlier. "I woke up, and you weren't here!"

"I went for a walk, baby," I lied. "It was a late night, and you were fast asleep, so I didn't want to wake you."

We'd spent last night with Elliot and Kate at 'Daniel,' on the Upper East Side. Daniel Boulud's award-winning restaurant, it had recently received its third Michelin star, and I'd hoped to try it for a while. While the subtleties of the food had been largely wasted on my brother, Kate, Ana and I had enjoyed it immensely. Kate had helped Ana out by announcing she'd had one too many boozy journo work lunches and needed to watch her weight, so would forego the paired wines with our meal. Ana immediately said she'd do likewise, so Elliot and I had been the only two drinking. It seemed to calm Elliot a little after the quarter of a million he'd dropped on a 3.2-carat diamond for Kate while the girls were out shopping.

I'd been surprised – I knew Grey Constructions was doing well, but a quarter of a million was still a lot of dough. I smiled thinking back on Elliot's comment to me; "You're not the _only_ Grey on Seattle's most eligible bachelor list, you know!"

Not that I could let any of this on to Ana. So I went with the next best tactic. Distraction!

"Well, I'm glad you're awake now, as I've organized a surprise for you for today. I want you dressed and at breakfast in ten minutes. We're playing tourist so wear something comfy."

It ended up being twenty minutes after a little mucking around together in the shower.

"What are you guys doing this morning?" I asked Kate and Elliot. Ell knew I had plans with Ana.

"I thought we might check out one of the markets," Kate replied. Elliot shrugged as if to say 'yeah – what she said.'

"As long as you're back here by twelve. We need to be wheels up by one thirty at the latest."

As Ana finished her juice and a piece of toast, I dipped out to thank Mrs. Cortez and instruct her to pack Ana's bags. Ana didn't know it, but we'd be leaving for the airport right from my surprise.

"Christian? Where are you taking me?" she asked as Ryan drove us through the New York traffic.

"Hmm. Somewhere I think you'd like to see…"

We pulled up outside an imposing building, and as I suspected, Ana knew it instantly.

"The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Library?" she asked, looking at me in confusion. "But it's closed on Sundays in July and August?"

"Not for us, baby," I grinned. "We have a library docent waiting to give us a private library tour," I explained as I opened her door.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!" Ana squealed, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me liberally. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ryan trade an amused glance with Sawyer.

"We'll be fine from here," I told them. "You have your instructions."

"Yes, sir," Sawyer replied. "I hope you have a good time."

We met our tour guide at the service entrance and to say Ana was spellbound was the understatement of the century. Starting in Astor Hall, Ana wanted to see and know everything – and that was before we even got to the books! We wandered the library for two hours, our docent giving us an overview of the building, its history, the artworks, collection as well as the many sections we wouldn't be visiting today.

While the library was closed to the public, we were still met by a few staff as we toured the space, a couple taking the time to stop and speak with us about their areas of expertise.

"There's one room I have left to show you," Denise our guide said with a twinkle in her eye as we returned to the first floor. "The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Room."

She led the way into the space with a flourish. And there, in the center of the otherwise empty room, was my final surprise. The middle section of one of the tables was made up with a white tablecloth, plates, cutlery, and glassware.

"Your lunch awaits!" Denise said with a kindly grin.

"Christian! Did you organize all this? Are we even allowed to eat in here?!"

"Yes, we can eat here, although they have asked we don't touch any of the books or maps," I explained, helping Ana to her seat.

"This is the single most romantic thing I've ever experienced," Ana gushed as Denise gave us our privacy. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too, baby. Now lunch!"

A waiter appeared with the first course; fresh pea and lovage soup with chunky bread. Ana dove straight in and cleared her bowl, still talking in awe about the building and all its many wonders, grinning the whole time. When the second course arrived, Chicken Saltimbocca with Spinach and Potatoes, Ana attacked that with gusto, too.

"If I'd known the way to get you to eat was to get you pregnant I might have done it earlier," I teased, grasping Ana's hand across the table now her second plate was clean.

We both paused and thought again about the big change about to happen in our lives.

"We have our scan on Friday night," she reminded me. "Are you excited?"

"Very. It's all still a bit abstract at the moment," I tried to explain. "I think seeing something might help make it a bit more real."

Our meal finished, Denise reappeared, and it was time for us to leave. I shook her hand, slipping her an envelope with a very generous tip. The smile had not left Ana's face since we arrived – the woman had earned every dime as far as I was concerned!

* * *

"You took her to a _library?"_ Elliot laughed as Ana was telling Kate about our morning. We were on the GEH jet heading back to Seattle. "Way to go, Chrissy! Bet _that_ charmed the pants off her!"

"I think it sounds very romantic," Kate said shooting Elliot a withering look. "Ana's always wanted to go, and what a way to see it! The whole place to yourself and then a waiter serving a private lunch? That's adorable! It must have been hard to organize?"

I smiled enigmatically. I had no clue. I'd told Andrea what I'd wanted, and she'd made it happen; so I couldn't take credit for the execution. The idea, however, had been all me.

"Show off," Elliot grumbled under his breath to me as Ana told Kate all about the library. "I spent an hour and a half walking around a fucking _flower and macaron market_ and somehow still come out looking second best!"

The trip back was good. We'd taken off right at 1:30 pm so with the time difference taken into account, we'd be arriving back around 4:30 pm Seattle time. We could have stayed a little longer in New York, but I was conscious that traveling was tiring, and the pregnancy was already wearing Ana out. We chatted with Kate and Elliot for a while before Ana and I retired to the jet's bedroom. Elliot no doubt thought we were screwing, but in reality, I was sitting up against the headboard, reading a book and stroking Ana's hair as she slumbered, her head resting on my lap.

I spent the hour or so as she slept trying to come up with the perfect proposal plan. I wanted it to be a grand declaration of my love, but also very personal and intimate. It was only as we were beginning our descent into Seattle, and I had to wake Ana to return to her seat in the main cabin, that an idea presented itself. It would be expensive, and that's assuming I could even pull it off in time. But hey; I'd dropped almost one and a half million this morning on her ring; the rest of the proposal would need to live up to it!


	39. Chapter 39

"Thank you all for coming. If you could all squeeze in?" Jerry Roach requested as the full staff of SIP crammed into the boardroom. Every seat was already taken, so I joined the other editorial assistants standing at the rear. As a group, we listened to Jerry as he complimented us all on our hard work for SIP, before moving on to discuss the need for SIP to grow and move with the times.

It was so packed in the meeting room, I couldn't see through the outer glass wall, yet somehow my body knew Christian had arrived. I could sense him. Determined not to react, I focused on Mr. Roach, mostly just wishing this was over.

"… and it is my pleasure to introduce you to the new owner of Seattle Independent Publishing – Mr. Christian Grey of Grey Enterprises Holdings."

Christian stepped into the room accompanied by several staff I didn't know. He shook Roach's hand, looking every part the young, ultra-successful businessman that he was. There were sharp intakes of breath as some people turned to look at me, knowing about our connection, while others gaped at his good looks, while others muttered unhappily to one another. Christian ignored the rumbling, instead turning on his mega-watt smile as his eyes searched the crowd looking for me. A tiny crinkling at the corner of his eyes was the only outward indication he'd placed me, but now he had, he was eager to start.

"Staff of SIP, I'd like to start by assuring you that your jobs are secure. With any change of management, it's natural staff worry about restructuring and job losses. While I can say there will definitely be change, I plan to _expand_ SIP and its operations, so there is no need for anyone to be fearful about their employment. As Mr. Roach has outlined, SIP has an outstanding history in fiction, non-fiction, and technical publishing. This has, and will remain, the company's core business. However, with advancing digital technologies come opportunities and threats. Alongside its traditional format publishing, SIP needs to move with the times and embrace E-Publishing."

Christian paused and let his words sink in. I could see some of the traditionalists in the room shake their heads and disagree, but others – especially the younger ones – didn't look like they needed convincing.

"As few stats to support this idea. Over ninety percent of high school students in America use computing technology in some form on a daily basis for their education. Many senior students have laptops or e-readers they use for educational purposes in class. Last year fifteen percent of high school texts were E-books accessed via tablet or computer. This is a massive market that is only going to expand, and with our strong technical department already a leader in textbook sales, it's the obvious first step for SIP to move into E-Publishing."

There were nods of agreement, particularly from the academic text division. My understanding is that'd been pushing for this for a while. I continued to listen as Christian outlined key points of his plan for SIP, introducing the people with him and explaining how the existing infrastructure of GEH would be used to support the expansion of SIP. By the time he'd finished, the overall mood of the room was positive. Christian had managed to convince the SIP staff that the change coming was necessary yet also exciting. The meeting over, staff were filing out of the room, several of the more senior staff stopping to introduce themselves to Christian and his team. I was attempting to slip out of the room unnoticed with Casey when Christian's voice stopped me.

"Miss Steele? A moment, please?"

Casey gave me a wink before continuing out the door. The more senior staff were watching Christian and me with interest.

"You know Ana?" Cheryl asked curiously. I'd been reporting to her since Jack left but we hadn't interacted on a social level.

"I do," he confirmed, gray eyes meeting mine, silently asking how much I wanted to reveal. I'd thought about it, and now he'd singled me out there was no point playing it down. So I gave him a tiny nod. He grinned, taking my hand in his and slipping the other behind me into the small of my back. "Anastasia is my girlfriend." There was more than one surprised look, from the SIP staff as well as his own, but Christian ignored them.

"I have an hour free if you'd like to have lunch?" he asked hopefully, assiduously disregarding those listening to our exchange.

"Only an hour," I warned checking my watch. "I have a call with an author I have to be back for."

Christian looked like the cat who'd eaten the cream as he excused us, Sawyer and Taylor accompanying us to the elevator. We got in and traveled to the basement garage, getting into one of Christian's dark SUVs.

"It's a beautiful day. What about a restaurant on the waterfront?" Christian suggested. Taylor had us there in moments, and soon Christian and I were seated at an outdoor table. I was sipping sparkling water and Christian was enjoying an unoaked Chardonnay as we waited for our meals.

"You know, we haven't talked about any of the big things about raising a child together," Christian said out of the blue, taking my hand and kissing my fingertips.

"The big things?" I asked, slightly distracted by the panty-dropping smile on my boyfriend's face.

"Schools, discipline, security...? We should start to talk about that stuff."

He was right – and I honestly hadn't thought about any of it, yet.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" I prompted knowing Christian wasn't the sort to start a conversation like this without having his position already established.

"For school? Private. Being the son or daughter of a billionaire, people are going to know who our child is. It will be easier to arrange security and privacy in a private school where they're used to high profile children."

"Ok," I agreed. I'd gone public all the way through, but I couldn't see Christian agreeing to a public school, and what he'd said made sense. Besides - it wasn't like he couldn't afford it.

"For Elliot, Mia and me, Mom insisted on a language, an instrument, and a sport. That's a parenting idea I'd like to continue with our child." I smiled. No wonder Christian and his siblings were so accomplished. I loved the idea and told him as such. I had a few things that I wanted for our child, too, so we discussed them. We shared a reasonably similar vision, so the conversation was easy.

"And I don't want to smack. Ever," he blurted out. Watching me warily, Christian's tension was expressed only by the way his thumb increased in pace as it rubbed little circles on the back of my hand. My poor fifty. _Of course_ , he would be against the corporal punishment of children. Other than horrible husband number three, my childhood did not involve physical punishments, and I certainly didn't want our child's to, either.

"Neither do I," I assured, leaning close to Christian and kissing him gently.

"Thank you, baby," Christian whispered, giving me an adorable smile. I gave him a tight smile in reply, trying to push the image of a hurt and vulnerable four-year-old Christian from my mind.

"There are books on parenting techniques. Maybe we should read some and come up with some strategies together?" I suggested.

"I'd like that."

"So… security?" I asked, coming to the third topic on his list.

"Yes. Our baby will need their own CPOs. Children of wealthy parents are often targets for kidnapping. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to our child, Ana. Once the baby is born, I'd like to find two operatives who are willing to stay on long-term. Also, I'd like to hire a nanny."

"No way!" I snapped. I was happy to give Christian his way on most things, but this is where I drew the line. "I'm ok with the security, but _no_ to a nanny!"

Christian's hand clenched around mine before I could pull it away.

"Not all the time," he quickly replied. "Maybe someone who can help Gail around the house but help with the baby when we need it? There are events we'll be obligated to attend from time to time, and you talked about returning to work? I plan to be a hands-on parent, Ana. I was hoping to take our child to work with me at least one day a week, but I can't dump a baby on Andrea every time an emergency meeting comes up. I'd like to have someone we know and trust to help with our child when we need it, and we can't always ask my mother or Gail. I want us to be active parents in every sense of the word, but we have the means to employ a professional for when we need extra help, and I think it's worthwhile exploring."

I hated the idea of someone else looking after our baby. I was only a few weeks pregnant, but even the concept of passing over our precious miracle to someone else to care for upset me. I could feel the tears rising in my eyes, and I was trying to fight them yet Christian saw.

"Ana?" he said, pushing his chair back slightly and patting his lap in invitation. I moved my chair back and stood up, perching on his lap. "We don't need to decide on that, now. I know it might be months before you're ready to leave the baby with someone. Just keep an open mind and we can discuss it nearer to the time?"

I nodded, embarrassed about my emotional outburst. These pregnancy hormones were certainly affecting me! We kissed and cuddled for a moment, Christian wrapping his arms around me as I sat on his lap. The waitress arrived soon after carrying our meals, smiling at us in amusement. I moved to get off Christian's lap, but he tightened his arms around me.

"Baby? I have no idea about any of this, either. We'll work it out, ok? Together."

* * *

I was feeling full, loved up and happy in the back of the SUV as we drove the short distance back to SIP. Christian and I were kissing, when a terse word from Taylor pulled us from our happy reverie. There at the entrance to SIP were photographers and journalists three or four deep. Milling around, they were obviously waiting for something. Or someone.

Christian sighed. "Keep going, Taylor." We drove past, not even slowing down. I was about to ask where we were going when my cell rang. I dug it from my bag, seeing Kate's name on the screen.

"Steele – word's out about you and Christian. Someone from your work rang in that you and he are an item and that _he's bought SIP?"_

There was no point denying it.

"Yes, Kate. But the buying it has nothing to do with me. It just fitted in with his business plans."

"Ahha," she replied with disbelief.

"I've got to go – I went to lunch with Christian, and now there's press camped outside my building waiting for me to return."

"Get used to it," Kate replied. "Seattle's wealthiest bachelor finally has a girlfriend. This is big news."

I disconnected the call, relaying the information that it was someone from SIP who'd alerted the press about our relationship, and presumably that we'd gone to lunch together.

"I was hoping we'd have a little longer, but it was bound to come out eventually," Christian grumbled. "You can take the rest of the day off if you want?"

"I can't. I have an author I have to speak with today. Besides, it's going to look bad if the day you announce ownership of SIP I take the afternoon off. Let's go back and I'll go inside."

We pulled over a few blocks down while Christian rang his PR department who advised him how best to play things. Five minutes later, we pulled up outside SIP, Christian coming around to open my door and walk me to the front of the building.

It was like being on the red carpet! Photographers were snapping like crazy and calling out for my attention. Most of it was ok; questions like how did we meet, or how long had we been dating. But others were unkind.

"Ana? Our female readers want to know how you bagged yourself a billionaire?"

I tensed when I heard that comment, but as Christian had instructed, I kept a smile plastered to my face as Taylor, aided by Sawyer, pushed the journalists back and made a path for us to get to the front door. Once we were at the door, Christian's lips brushed mine for a moment, and the cameras went berserk. Then he wished me a good afternoon, letting Sawyer escort me inside before turning to address the press about the SIP takeover.


	40. Chapter 40

"What the fuck do you mean she was pushed to the ground?" I was bellowing into my phone. All week the press had been relentlessly pursuing Ana. We'd hoped confirming my relationship with Ana at SIP on Monday would be enough, and they'd move on, but if anything, all it had done was spur the press, and the public, on.

Numerous websites had sprung up overnight about Anastasia Steele, as most of Seattle now knew her to be, and a local radio station had coined the term 'Grey-Steele' and was encouraging people to ring in their sightings of the one or both of us! So far, we'd kept things low key, both going to work and choosing to stay in of an evening, but the press was being relentless! Someone had managed to work out Mrs. Jones was my housekeeper and pestered her while she was attempting to do her weekly shop, scrutinizing the contents of her cart trying to establish whether Ana and I were living together. Taylor had hit the roof when he heard about that, and from now on Gail would be doing her shop accompanied by at least two security staff.

But now, apparently, Ana had been jostled and pushed to the ground by a swarm of paparazzi as she was trying to leave SIP this afternoon. I was at home waiting for her when Sawyer rang through with the news. This was getting out of hand, and I don't care who I had to pay, it was going to be fixed. I'd calmed down, marginally, by the time Ana arrived home. Knowing it wasn't healthy for her to stress out, and that she was already distressed enough by all the intrusive attention she'd been receiving, I plastered a smile on my face and met her at the lift.

"Hey baby," I said, pulling her into my embrace and kissing her softly. "Sawyer told me you got pushed over. Are you ok?"

I pulled back to see fat tears gathering in those beautiful blue eyes.

"I'm ok. I fell to my knees. They hurt at first, but it's ok now."

I look at the rips in her stockings and could feel my anger returning in full force. No one, and I mean no one, got away with hurting my girl. But my retribution would have to wait because this afternoon we had to prepare for an appointment.

"Why don't we take a shower? Dr. Greene should be here, soon."

That brought a smile to my girl's face. I followed her through to the bathroom, setting the shower and watching as she undressed, throwing her ruined stockings into the bathroom bin. I also disrobed and climbed into the shower behind Ana.

"We can't," Ana warned, referring to Dr. Greene's imminent arrival. I groaned, remembering Dr. Greene mentioning the dating scan Ana would have today would be a transvaginal scan.

"Sorry mate," I mumbled under my breath, willing my cock to deflate – no easy feat when a woman as beautiful as Ana was naked, hot, wet and soapy only inches away from me, using a loofah to sponge her slick, pert breasts.

 _Not helping, Grey_ I told myself, forcing myself to think about Grandma Trevelyn in her inappropriate swimsuit at Mom's last Labor Day weekend party. Just because my parents had a heated pool, and the swimsuit still fit, was no good reason for her to _wear_ it! Yep. _That_ did the trick. I made a mental note to ask Caroline Acton to send my grandmother a few outfits suitable for this year's party. Including a new swimsuit!

My libido under control, for the moment at least, I grabbed another loofah, soaping Ana's legs and using the opportunity to inspect her knees. The skin was grazed, and one knee was a little red, but other than that she appeared to be uninjured. However, it was what could have happened that terrified me. Ana was carrying our child. Another incident like this could put her and our baby at risk – especially once she was further along. I suppressed a sigh. We'd be needing even more security.

Stepping out of the shower, we walked naked through to our closet. Mrs. Jones had always hung my clothing on one side of the plentiful space; as though she'd known someday there'd be a woman's clothing occupying the other side. It's like me, and my wardrobe had been waiting for Anastasia Steele to fall into my life and complete it. And now she had, our filled closet was one more indication of my life as it should be. _Ana_ made me feel that way.

"I know Dr. Greene is visiting, but it's Friday night. I don't want to dress up."

"Then don't. Wear whatever you want," I said, and I meant it. Ana was in our home. If she wanted to wear sweats, that was fine by me!

She smiled, slipping on a loose skirt and a fitted top. Even though it was casual, she looked great. I followed suit, donning a pair of casual jeans and a polo. I didn't even bother with shoes as I followed Ana out to the great room.

Mrs. Jones was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Usually, she'd be off Friday afternoon through to Sunday afternoon, yet here she was. She'd been particularly attentive to Ana since we'd shared our news, but I needed to make sure she was happy working longer hours. The elevator pinged, and Sawyer announced Dr. Greene. And just like that, all the bad thoughts of the day disappeared. I turned and grinned at Ana. We were about to see our baby!

After the obligatory greetings, I led the way to the closest guest room which had been fitted out with the supplies and equipment the doctor had ordered. It looked like a mini hospital in there. Ana laid on the bed, the doctor firing up the machinery. I looked away when the doctor asked Ana to remove her panties, and she inserted the wand, turning back to grasp Ana's hand as together we looked at the monitor. Black and white, it all seemed like static on an old analog television, to me, but Dr. Greene soon zoomed in on what looked like a roundish circle.

"That's the gestational sac," she explained pointing to an egg-shaped white area in the middle of the black. "Now let's see if there's a heartbeat."

Ana squeezed my hand nervously as Dr. Greene manipulated some of the settings on her machine. And then we could hear a whoosh whoosh noise and see a little flickering on the monitor.

"That's your baby's heartbeat," Dr. Greene said, smiling indulgently at Ana and me. Ana's eyes were wide as she looked up at me, reaching up to brush a tear from my face.

"Is everything alright?" I asked anxiously, annoyed I had to rely on someone else to interpret something so important to us.

"Everything looks precisely as it should be," the doctor replied, immediately laying my fears to rest. "Ana – the date you gave me looks spot on gestationally." She consulted an app on her phone, "So your due date will be around the eleventh of March. Now I assume you'd like some photos?" My enthusiastic yes brought a gorgeous smile to Ana's lips.

The doctor printed out five little photos while Ana used the bathroom to clean up. The scan part of the appointment over, we all moved back out into the great room, the doctor joining me for a celebratory glass of Sancerre while Ana had a sparkling water. Dr. Greene updated Ana's medical file and discussed things she needed to avoid like hot tubs and overly hot baths.

"What about stress?"

"Well, that's best avoided, too. Although I know, sometimes that's easier said than done."

"Should Ana be working?"

"If she wants to, then absolutely. A lot of expectant fathers want their partner to stay home and relax during the pregnancy, not understanding a lack of normal activity and socialization can be more stressful for the mother to be. There's no medical reason for you not to work, Ana, provided it's not physically stressful for you to do so. Later in the pregnancy, you might want to consider shorter work hours or the occasional day working from home." Ana shot me a triumphant look. She'd picked where I was heading with that.

* * *

"So where are we at?" I asked Taylor. Ana was in the library curled up with a book, but I'd stepped out for the evening security briefing.

"Nothing new with Jack Hyde. The last movement we detected was him using his ID to buy some old junker in Detroit three days ago, but nothing since then." I nodded. Detroit. The ass end of humanity as far as I was concerned. He was welcome to stay there. "When's his court appearance?"

"Not for another few weeks. As a first offense, he's unlikely to serve jail time unless we can convince any of his former assistants to come forward."

"Any luck with that?"

"Not so far. They all say the same thing; Hyde was a great boss, but they had to leave for personal reasons."

"You have to wonder what he has on them."

"I shudder to think," Taylor replied, and he meant it. Jack Hyde was a sick individual, and neither of us had any doubt he'd drugged and raped his former assistants.

"What about Miss Williams?"

"Still in the psychiatric facility; doing well by all accounts. She's asking to see you…"

"Not going to happen," I said, shooting down that idea. I'd pay for Leila's recovery, but I wasn't prepared to engage on an emotional level. "And Mrs. Lincoln?"

Since Ana told me she'd seen Elena at the Mile High Club with my father, I'd had her covertly followed. So far nothing out of the ordinary had turned up, but I was sure I hadn't seen or heard the last of her, yet.

"Nothing there, either. Your mother is hosting her monthly ladies luncheon at Bellevue tomorrow, and we expect Mrs. Lincoln will attend."

"Has there been any luck identifying who at SIP tipped off the press about Ana and me?"

"Yes and no. A call was made to the Seattle Times from the telephone in the photocopier room. Sawyer is getting the security tapes to see if he can match up the phone records with whoever was in the room at the time."

"And new threats against Miss Steele?" I checked.

"Nothing that needs looking into. Most of the online commentary has been positive; there have been two new sites set up discussing Miss Steele's fashion choices. There is another website speculating whether Miss Steele is pregnant and whether you plan to propose."

I stood up and poured myself a drink, pouring a glug into a glass for Taylor, too.

"So, how's that going?" he asked as I handed him the Armagnac.

"Good. I've started putting plans in place. There are five weeks until Labor Day, and assuming Ana accepts, I'd like to announce our engagement and the pregnancy then." I felt a bit foolish as I held out one of the photos Dr. Greene had taken for Taylor to see. He dutifully admired the black and white blob titled with today's date and 'Baby Grey.' "Ana might be showing by then, so I want everyone to see my rock on her finger, too."

"And Mr. Steele?"

"Ana wants to tell him sooner rather than later. We'll go down there in a few weeks or perhaps invite him here to the baseball. I'll ask for his blessing then."

We sat in silence, sipping our brandy.

"I wasn't expecting Mrs. Jones to be here this afternoon. She usually has Friday to Sunday afternoon off?"

"Gail's enjoying looking after Miss Steele. She didn't have children, so I think she feels a little maternal toward her," Taylor said looking a bit embarrassed.

"Well it's appreciated, but I don't want her wearing herself out or the extra hours becoming a burden to her. Perhaps we need to look at getting someone in to help on the weekends?"

"Mr. Grey, if I can speak freely, that would break Gail's heart. She loves that girl, and she's beside herself with excitement about the idea of a baby in the house. She wants to be part of it."

"I understand, but I can't have her working seven days a week, Taylor," I said, not unaware that that was exactly what I expected of him.

"Mr. Grey – take my word for it; no good will come of you interfering in this. I suggest you let Miss Steele know your concerns, then let her and Gail work it out between them."

"When did you get so wise?" I grumbled, recognizing good advice when I heard it.

Taylor shrugged. "Sometimes a man needs to trust his woman knows what she wants and doesn't need him to step in on her behalf."

"But how do you know when she does need you to step in?"

"Most of the time, she'll ask."


	41. Chapter 41

"Dad? I looked up the schedule, and there's a Mariners home game on Saturday. They're playing the Cleveland Indians. Christian and I thought you might want to come up for it? You could spend the weekend with us?" I stumbled a little with the last words. I didn't know how Ray felt about me living at Escala with Christian.

"I'd love that, Annie. I'll come up Saturday morning. Maybe I'll get pictures of myself on one of those websites?" he teased. I groaned. I'd hoped Dad hadn't heard about all that.

" _Tell me_ you are not reading that stuff?" I begged.

"Not me. Lillian. She likes the ones about what you wear and gets right angry at the other ones. Every morning tea she updates me on the latest."

I laughed. Lillian was in her sixties and had worked managing the office and the accounts for Ray for as long as I could remember. A pseudo grandmother to me, Lillian wouldn't let anyone put me down. I could see her and Ray sitting at his workbench enjoying a slice of the apple tea cake Lillian baked every week along with the latest from the gossip sites. The idea of such a familiar scene made me suddenly very homesick. I missed Ray and that simple life so much.

"Daddy?" I sniffled. "Do you think you could come up on Friday after work?"

"What's wrong, Annie? Are you ok? Has something happened?"

Yes. I'm pregnant, and while I'm really happy about it, I'm freaking out about telling you, I thought.

"No. I just miss you, and all these websites and people following me is a bit much. I need my Dad."

"I'll be there Friday in time for dinner, Annie."

I hung up the phone, looking at the lunch Gail had sent with me. It had been a week and a half since the announcement at SIP, and while everyone was very nice, there was definitely a difference in the way I was treated now. Other than Casey, people were more formal and stopped to chat and gossip less. Eating lunch alone most days was getting boring.

Last weekend, with all the brouhaha from the paparazzi, Christian had insisted on spending some quality time together, so on Saturday morning, he took me sailing on The Grace. It had been wonderful – particularly when we'd sailed past his parents' place at Bellevue. Christian had warned me that his mother was having some of her friends over and that Elena was likely to be there. Grace had asked him to drop by, and so we did – waving to the group from the deck of The Grace as we drifted past his parents' home. We were close enough to see Grace's proud smile, along with Elena's scowl.

Not trusting Elena not to tip off the press that we were out sailing, late in the afternoon we docked at Ros and Gwen's place where we were met by the skipper, Mack, and Taylor. Mack boarded The Grace, taking her back to the marina and a very disappointed bunch of paparazzi, while Christian and I had dinner with his COO and her wife. They were an entertaining couple, and I enjoyed getting to know them better.

Still. It wasn't the same as old friends. I picked up my phone again.

"Steele? What's up?" Kate answered on the first ring.

"Just seeing if you're free for lunch?"

"What – while the cats are away the mice will play?" Kate teased.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Christian and Elliot. Christian rang last night and asked Elliot for some urgent help with something today. Elliot was pissed off because he needed to be on site today, but Christian insisted. Didn't Christian say anything?"

"No. He didn't. Never mind. So? You free for an hour at the Mile High Club?"

"On Mr. Megabucks? Sure – count me in!"

Prescott, Sawyer and I left via the underground carpark at SIP, picking up Kate on the way. We were soon installed in the owner's suite at the restaurant. Thankfully, this time, I didn't see anyone I knew as we passed through the main dining room, although some of those present apparently knew me. I saw more than one person reach for their phone to take a picture as we walked past.

"You must be getting very sick of that," Kate commented once we were alone.

"Big time. Can you believe there is a website about what I _wear?"_ I shook my head in disbelief.

"Believe it. My editor has been on my case because he knows I'm dating Elliot and I'm friends with you."

"Kate! You can't tell them anything – especially about _you know what!"_

"Chill, Ana. I told them I wouldn't talk about Grey's and that in any case, I'd signed an NDA."

"Thanks, Kate. Everything's so full on, and I can't lose you, too!"

"Don't worry, Steele – you're stuck with me."

"Ray's coming to visit this weekend. I'm going to tell him about the baby."

"So you had your scan?"

I nodded, opening my purse and handing Kate the photos Dr. Greene had given us.

"It doesn't look like a baby," she commented, turning one of the photos around trying to get a better angle.

"It won't until about twelve weeks," I explained. "You know how Mom is, so I won't tell her until we've had the next scan and told the Greys, but I want Dad to know earlier."

"How do you think he'll be?"

"I don't know," I said quietly. I was so happy about our baby, and I think it would break my heart if Ray weren't, too.

* * *

"Gail? I've asked my father to visit us this weekend. He'll be arriving Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon."

"Certainly. Which guest room would you like him in?"

I thought about it before suggesting the one next to the former sub's room. Far enough away from Christian and me, and it had a gorgeous view.

"And can you please make sure the door to the playroom is locked, and the same for the guestroom with the ultrasound equipment?"

"Certainly. Is there anything your father particularly likes to eat or drink?"

"As long as there's Budweiser, Daddy will be happy. As for food, he'll eat anything. Which reminds me, we need to talk about your work hours, Gail." I said it kindly, but she looked a little concerned, so I patted the stool next to me.

"When I started seeing Christian, you had weekends off, but now you're working through. With me living here, and the larger security staff, your workload has increased, and we need to discuss how to manage that."

"I like looking after you and Mr. Grey," Mrs. Jones explained. "Especially with you being pregnant and being so tired."

"I won't lie, it's been a godsend to come home from work and not have to worry about cooking, but you need time off too, Gail. What if we got someone in to help you?" As Taylor had foreshadowed, Gail looked horrified. "Or maybe you could have Saturdays and Sundays off, instead? I don't mind cooking over the weekend, and if I'm tired, Christian and I can go out or order in."

"But my _job_ is to take care of you and Mr. Grey," Gail fretted. I could see she was getting distressed.

"Gail, you do a _wonderful_ job, and we couldn't manage this place without you. But Christian and I both worry you'll get burnt out with overwork. We don't want to risk losing you, so we need to work out something that works for all of us."

"I suppose I could cook up a few meals during the week for the security staff to reheat over the weekend," she pondered. "And I could prepare a few meals for you and Mr. Grey for the freezer just in case. But if you get tired or need me, I'll be right next door. This is a special time, Ana. I want you both to enjoy it."

* * *

"Daddy!" I squealed, running across the great room and throwing myself at Ray as he exited the elevator. I knew it was him, as Gail had buzzed him into the basement garage and given him the code for our floor. Standing in the immaculate marble floored penthouse in his dusty work clothes, Ray couldn't have looked more out of place if he'd tried.

"Quite a place you've got here, Grey," Ray said, doing his best not to sound overwhelmed as he cuddled me close.

"Thanks, Ray. It's private and restful, which we enjoy."

I could see Dad was feeling a little out of place, so I took his hand.

"Come and see your room, Daddy. It has a beautiful view of the city, and you have your own bathroom."

Gail had helped me prepare the space for my father, stocking the bathroom with top of the line masculine body wash and shaving lotions and putting a manly, navy blue coverlet on the king-sized bed.

"I'll just have a hose-down and see you out in that big room in a bit?" Ray said awkwardly.

I scurried out to the great room, relieved I'd gone with a simple, normal dinner tonight. Christian had stressed out, wanting to serve my father an haute cuisine meal. But after consulting me, Gail had prepared pot roast. My stomach had been rumbling since I got home and inhaled the delicious scent of the cooking meal. Teamed with apple pie for dessert, Gail had made us the ultimate comfort dinner.

"Thanks, Gail," I whispered, hugging her as she gave me the final instructions for serving and plating our meal. She knew Christian and I were going to tell Ray about the pregnancy tonight, so she and the security staff were making themselves scarce to give us our privacy.

I was wearing a simple, casual dress, and at my whispered insistence, Christian had changed from his usual Armani suit into a pair of jeans and a TShirt. He looked much younger in casual attire, and I knew Daddy would feel less intimidated if Christian looked more like the young man he was.

"Smells great, Annie!" Ray complimented me as I was pulling the pot roast from the oven. I didn't want to take credit for Gail's wonderful cooking, but Ray would be even more put out if I mentioned a housekeeper. So gesturing for Christian and Ray to sit, I served up the delicious meal, spooning the meat and vegetables onto a bed of fluffy mashed potato. I made sure Dad had a Budweiser and Christian did, too. Budweiser wasn't Christian's favorite beer, but he drank it from the bottle just like Ray.

"So it's been quite a few weeks for you," Ray commented as we were halfway through our dinner. "Websites and those papparazos."

"Scum," Christian spat out. "Chasing Anastasia around and commenting on what she wears and where she goes."

"I completely agree," Ray said with surprising vehemence. "Isn't there anything you can do to stop them?" he asked, leveling a challenging glare at Christian.

"We can put restraining orders against any of them that touch Ana, but photographers are a dime a dozen. For every one we ban, another two spring up to replace them," he explained with bitterness.

"It doesn't seem right," Ray grumbled. He was a simple man, and I knew it grated to see me part of a world that he didn't understand.

"I know, Daddy. I'm getting used to it. Eventually, it will all die down," I voiced optimistically. Christian looked grim, and his eyes met mine. I knew what he was suggesting. I nodded and continued. "But it will probably get worse before it gets better."

Ray looked up. "What do you mean, Annie?"

I took a deep breath before I replied.

"Daddy? No one other than Kate and the staff knows yet, but I'm about eight weeks pregnant. Christian and I are expecting a baby."

There was silence as Ray put another forkful of food into his mouth and chewed carefully. Christian and I looked at one another, waiting for Ray to speak.

"So was this planned?" he asked when his mouth was clear, his voice tight.

"No, Daddy. But we're both really happy. I had a scan last week, and everything is perfect," I said, pulling one of the ultrasound pictures from my pocket and pushing it across the table for Ray to look at. "It's still too early to see much, but we got to hear the heartbeat, and Dr. Greene said we're on track."

"You're both happy?" he asked me, but his eyes were fixed on Christian.

"Over the moon, sir," he replied respectfully. "I know it's a lot earlier than we might have planned. You have my word this baby is wanted, loved and will always be provided for."

Ray stood up, putting his napkin down beside his plate.

"Grey? You and I need to talk." He didn't sound particularly friendly.

"Daddy? Please! Just sit down. There's apple pie to come yet," I said desperately.

"You plate it up, Annie," Ray said glaring at Christian. "I'll be back in a minute."

Christian nodded, kissing me on the cheek before leading Ray through to his office. Christian gave me a reassuring look before he closed the door, leaving me to my own thoughts and fears.


	42. Chapter 42

I closed the door to my office, immediately going over to my wet bar to pour myself a generous serve of Armagnac. I poured a second for Ray and handed it to him before gesturing for him to take a seat. I pulled up a chair and sat beside him, recognizing now was not the time to alienate him further by showing my power by sitting on the other side of my desk.

Ray sipped the aged brandy, his eyes scanning the room and landing on the large portraits of his daughter. True to my word, I'd hung them in pride of place in my study and seeing this – that I'd hung them, and Ana had let me - seemed to appease Ray. At least a little.

"Ray? I want to start by telling you…"

"You tell me _nothing,_ Grey. Here's how it's going to go. I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen and answer my questions. I don't care who you are. I don't care how much money you have. I don't care what you own. You will never be good enough for my Annie. And now you've got her pregnant!"

Ray's glared at me belligerently.

"How are you planning to support Annie through this? She wouldn't have agreed to have your child unless she loved you. Loved you in a forever type of way. How do you feel about that?"

"She's my everything," I said as honestly as I could. "Did Anastasia mention we were in New York the weekend before last?"

"She might have," Ray admitted, still glaring.

"We flew over there with Kate and my brother Elliot. I'd arranged to go _before_ Ana and I found out about the baby. The girls went shopping, but the real reason for the trip was Elliot and I met with some diamond merchants. Even before I knew Ana was carrying our child, I'd planned to propose."

Ray sipped his brandy, considering my words.

"You haven't been going out very long."

"I know that, and Ana does too. But I haven't got where I am by playing it safe. You're right – Anastasia is far too good for me. But I love her, and by some miracle, she feels the same way about me. I want to make a life with her, Ray. Her and our baby. I want to spend my life making all their dreams come true."

"So, you've bought a ring?"

"I'm having it made for her. I should be getting it in the next few days. I'm going to ask her to marry me either way, but I'd feel a lot happier about it if I knew I had your blessing."

"If she says yes, you keep her happy, you put her and my grandbaby first at every opportunity and you protect them and we won't have a problem. But I'll be watching you, Grey. You might be the new man in her life, but I'm her old man. She's been _my_ girl since I first laid eyes on her, and I won't let anyone mess her around."

"Thank you, Ray. I want you to know I understand the trust you're putting in me. I'm not going to let you down."

Ana was sitting at the table when we came back out, three slices of apple pie waiting for our return. Her eyes darted between Ray and me, trying to get a sense of what had gone down. I don't know if she suspected I'd asked Ray for her hand, and Ray certainly wasn't giving anything away.

"So. A grandbaby. When are you due, Annie?"

"The doctor said March eleven," she replied.

"A spring baby. Guess I'd better start working on a crib, then."

"You want to make our baby a crib?" Ana asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Like I'd let my grandbaby sleep in one of those cheap-assed mass produced cribs," Ray scoffed, standing up and embracing Ana as she threw herself into his arms again. "My baby is having a baby of her own. You tell me what you want, and I'll make it."

* * *

We'd just returned from the baseball on Saturday night when Taylor alerted me a courier was waiting to see me.

"A package has arrived for you from New York," he said quietly. "Only you can sign for it, and you need ID." I smiled. Ana's ring!

Ana was going upstairs to have a shower and climb into bed. Despite being relatively early, she was exhausted.

"I'll be up in a minute," I said, giving her a loving smile. "Ray? Can I see you for a moment?"

Ana's father followed me into my study then Taylor brought through a man in his fifties from the security office. Impeccably dressed in an expensive suit, he'd been charged with flying the ring across from New York. Closing the door behind him, Taylor stood guard as I produced my driver's license for identification and signed for the package. Ripping open the innocuous manila pouch, inside I found a black velvet box which I opened to reveal Ana's engagement ring.

It was stunning. Perfect. Just like her. I gestured Ray forward, tilting the box to show him the glittering diamond set in a simple band.

"That's quite some ring," he commented, his eyes bulging a little at the sight of the eight-carat diamond.

"She's quite some woman," I replied before thanking the courier and asking him to pass on my appreciation to Levi.

"You've got the ring, you've got my blessing. When are you planning to do this?" Ray asked as Taylor escorted my visitor out.

"As soon as I can. I have one more thing I'm waiting to hear back about. As soon as that's settled, I'm going to ask Ana to be mine."

* * *

By the time Ray left on Sunday afternoon, things were ok between Ana's father and me. Seeing an actual ring, and not one he'd had to pressure me to buy, seemed to have settled some of Ray's more pressing concerns. Besides which, Ana's excitement about the baby was infectious. Since she'd seen 'blip,' as she was now calling it, on the ultrasound, Ana become much more excited. I spent most of Sunday morning sitting on the sofa in the great room, listening as Ana and Ray talked about all her hopes and dreams for our child. If Ray doubted my commitment to Ana and blip, my huge grin soon set him right.

Despite it being her weekend off, Mrs. Jones appeared just before Ray left, sending him back to Montesano with a dozen home cooked frozen meals. While he tried to reject them, Gail had them already packed in a cooler and ready to go, complete with reheating instructions. She explained she had to cook in bulk for meals for the security staff, and that Ray would be doing her a favor taking one of each of the meals she'd prepared as it would allow the security staff greater variety. Ray went along with it, but the real thrill was seeing Ana throw her arms around Gail, thanking her profusely for taking care of her father.

"If our baby is a boy, I want to use Raymond as a middle name," Ana blurted out an hour or two after her father left. We were lounging together in the great room, me on my laptop, Ana reading a manuscript. "He's done so much for me," she explained, "and I'm not even his biological child. I mean, I'm pretty sure you're not going to want our child to have the last name Steele," my snort confirmed that without the need for words, "so I'd like to honor Ray through the middle name."

"Ray?" I said, turning the idea over in my mind.

"Raymond," Ana corrected. "Please?"

Watching the bond Ana had with Ray, it was the sort of connection I wanted with my child. Loving. Protective. He was so proud of her successes and loved her unconditionally just like a parent should.

"I'd like that," I said. There were worse middle names a child could have. "And if it's a girl, what do you think about Grace as a middle name?" I was aiming for nonchalance but fell well short of the mark.

"After your mother?"

"She saved me. That day in Detroit she _chose_ me. She took me under her protection and never let go."

Ana's eyes were wet as she nodded. "I think Grace is the _perfect_ middle name for a girl."

We went back to reading, Ana leaning back against my side. A perfect Sunday afternoon.

"Mr. Grey? A moment please?" It was Taylor and one look told me I wasn't going to like what he had to say.

I kissed Ana and got up from the sofa, following Taylor through to the security room. Sawyer was sitting in there but moved out as soon as Taylor and I came inside.

"Mr. Grey, as your instructions, since you dissolved your business relationship with Mrs. Lincoln we have been keeping an eye on her. Today she attended a private brunch with a group of young ladies known to you. Afterward one of the young ladies, Ms. Susannah Millward drove from that location to visit Ms. Leila Williams in hospital."

"Were they all there?" I gasped, my mind going into freefall.

"All except Ms. Turner who is married now and heavily pregnant, Ms. Greville who is overseas and of course Ms. Williams."

"What could you find out about the meeting? Who organized it? What was discussed? Was anyone else there?!"

"We haven't been able to get any information," Taylor said, shaking his head. "All we know is that they met for about an hour and a half."

"Fuck!" I said, slamming my hand down on Taylor's desk. If Elena was gathering my subs together, it meant only one thing. That she was planning to out me. She couldn't do this. Not now everything was finally going right, and I'd found love in my life! I didn't want Ana knowing the full extent of the shit I'd done with those women. And I sure as hell didn't want our child growing up knowing its father was at best an asshole who indirectly paid women for rough sex, and at worst a sadist who liked to whip women who looked just like its mother!

"There's got to be _some_ way to find out what they talked about? What's going on? And how come we didn't know they were meeting? I thought you had Elena's phone and emails monitored?!"

"We do. There's been no contact through those means, and nothing face to face either as far as we can tell. If you want to know what was discussed, I think the only way you're going to know for sure is to ask one of the women present."

I groaned. I didn't want to go back there. I didn't want to think about what I'd done to those women and why. Motioning for Taylor to follow me we slipped out of the security office and across to my own. Locking the door once we'd entered I moved across to my safe. Inside sat fifteen manila folders, neatly piled up with a small black velvet box sitting on top. The symbolism wasn't lost on me. Putting Ana's ring to one side, I pulled out the files – one for each of my previous submissives.

Immediately putting Ms. Turner's, Ms. Greville's and Ms. Williams' to one side, I looked through them one by one. A not so pleasant trip down memory lane. I immediately discarded some of the older files. I hadn't seen some of these women in years; they were now all but strangers to me. Strangers with a shared past. Narrowing the files down to my more recent submissives, I finally came to rest on Susannah's file. She'd been my last. We'd parted company amicably a couple of months before Ana came along. A woman who knew her mind, she'd said from the outset she only wanted a three-month contract and would not renew, and that's how it had played out. Of all of them, I felt I could talk to Susannah - and our more recent history would make it less weird.

I ran my hands through my hair trying to think of any other way to find out what was going on, but Taylor was right. With the NDAs, and Elena on the loose, the only way I'd know for sure was to ask one of my previous subs. I'd start with Susannah, and if I found no joy, I'd ring every single one of them if I needed to. Nothing was going to mess up what I was building with Ana. I would give my all to make sure of that.

I gestured for Taylor to go. This wasn't a call he needed to overhear. I poured a tumbler of Armagnac and sitting behind my desk I opened Ms. Susannah Millward's file. I picked up the phone, and with a trembling hand dialed. The phone was answered almost right away.

"Susannah? This is Christian Grey. I need to speak with you."


	43. Chapter 43

"Are you awake?"

I was bordering right on the edge of sleep when Christian joined me. He'd gone off for a while with Taylor before dinner, and when he came back, he was antsy and distracted. He polished off a bottle of wine over dinner, which was unusual as he'd only had the odd glass here or there since we'd discovered I was pregnant. And when I'd asked what was wrong, he'd fobbed me off saying there was an issue at work.

After dinner I suggested we watch a movie, but Christian begged off, instead returning to his office. In the end, I'd grabbed a manuscript and settled into bed. I'd planned to wait him out, but he'd taken his time, and I was almost asleep when he came to bed.

"Hey," I said opening my eyes and leaning up to kiss him.

"Baby," he moaned, kissing me furiously and pushing me onto my back. "You look so sexy curled up in my bed." He'd had more to drink than on any other occasion that I'd seen, and while he wasn't drunk per se, he certainly wasn't sober. "Sweet, soft, sexy Miss Steele," he said in a sing-song voice, peppering my lips and face with kisses before claiming my mouth as his. His tongue and mouth tasted like brandy. I was surprised to find I liked it.

"And now you've got my baby on board," Christian continued. "When we tell everyone about the baby, they're going to know what we've been doing. They're going to know what I've _done_ to you!"

I swear he was smirking. Trust Christian to use the fact I was pregnant as a way of marking his territory! He had a point, though. Once we announced our pregnancy, people were going to know our relationship had gone beyond the casual dating stage.

"You're so sexy, Anastasia," he said drawing out my name as he nuzzled between my breasts, pulling my sleep shirt up and discarding it. "Have I ever told you how much I love your tits? I can't wait to see them swell for our baby… Will you have any to spare for Christian? Will you let me have a little taste?" he asked, wrapping his mouth around my tightly puckered nipple and sucking.

"Christian!" I gasped, half in surprise at what he was saying and also in response to his oral attentions. He relinquished my nipple with a pop, traveling further down kissing my sternum and then my belly.

"We're going to have to share your Mommy," he was whispering to my lower stomach. "I'm a demanding, possessive fucker – but I'll share if you will?"

I stifled a giggle. Christian sounded so earnest in his discussion with our blip, albeit a little crude.

"I'll take you to work with me and soaring and on my boat. But you have to be good for Mommy, and you'll need to be patient with me. I've never been a Daddy before. I'm probably going to fuck up sometimes, so we'll need to work together, ok?"

I played with Christian's hair as he made his declarations to my, as yet, non-existent bump.

"Now, I have to go. I think Mommy needs Daddy's attention right now, so you just lie there and go back to sleep." After placing a delicate kiss just above my pubic bone, Christian started kissing me further down. He gentle, at first, running his tongue up and down my slit, lapping at my nub.

"Your taste has changed," he growled. "You taste sweeter. It's delicious!" Christian buried his head back between my legs, pushing them open to give himself room to settle comfortably. He kept licking me – occasionally penetrating me with his tongue, the rest of the time focusing on my clit. Every time I'd start to tighten and get close to climaxing he could tell, and he'd stop what he was doing, instead giving me long flat-tongued licks the length of my slit.

"You'd better make me cum soon," I growled, frustrated and irritable. "You can't wake me up and leave me hanging!"

"Sorry, babe. You just taste so good. What do you want?" The bastard sounded unbearably smug.

"I so horny! I want you to fuck me long and hard," I snapped, opting for the direct approach. "You got me pregnant – now you can deal with the consequences!"

Christian chuckled, looking up from between my thighs with a devilish look on his face.

"With pleasure, Miss Steele. Long and hard coming up."

He crawled up my body, kissing his way there. Finally, with his mouth against my ear, he whispered seductively, "What my girl wants, my girl gets." And then he slowly sunk his cock into me. Gently at first, he quickened his pace until he was pounding me – spurred on by my enthusiastic moans. With lips almost rough against mine, Christian was dominating my mouth, his tongue stroking mine.

"No matter how much I get, it's never enough," Christian grunted, kissing the underside of my jaw. I couldn't reply. I was teetering on the edge of completely losing it. And then I did.

"Christian!" I screamed before pulling his hair. Hard. "Yes!"

"Give it up, baby!" he shouted in reply, speeding to his finish. Giving me everything he had, Christian slumped on top of me, making satisfied little noises as my hands made their way from his hair down to his back, stroking it lovingly.

"I'm never going to get enough of you, Anastasia," Christian said happily as he lay spent between my legs.

"I hope so," I whispered back. But Christian didn't hear me. He'd already fallen asleep.

* * *

"How are you feeling today?" I asked when Christian emerged from the shower. I'd woken to dry retching over the toilet. His – not mine.

"I'll live," he said dryly although from the tone of his voice I wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Why don't you stay home for the day? Relax a little."

"Will you stay home with me?" he asked with a hopeful gleam in his gorgeous gray eyes.

"I can't. I have a meeting with Boyce Fox today."

"Ahh – the manuscript you raved about? The new author you discovered?"

"That's it! Cheryl agreed he's worth taking a chance on. She's going to lead the meeting, but since I've been doing all the preliminary work with Boyce, Cheryl suggested I sit in and maybe do the first edit."

"It sounds like a lot of work. Are you sure you're up to it?"

"It's a great opportunity for me, Christian. Cheryl is going to be ultimately responsible, so I won't be doing it all. I'll be doing a sort of first-pass then checking in with Cheryl. Things have quietened down now the bulk of Jack's work has been redistributed. I have the time, and I'd rather do this than excess photocopying for other editors when they give their assistants the chance to do preliminary edits."

I felt like I was asking for permission, and I hated myself for that. If Christian hadn't owned SIP I would have felt more comfortable with things, but he _was_ my boss's' boss's boss, so I felt I had to justify my case.

"It _does_ sound like a good opportunity. You don't need to ask my consent, Anastasia. It's your job and your career. If you're confident it's not too much work, then I trust you. I know this is something you want, and you wouldn't put yourself or our baby at risk."

Who is this man and where has he taken my overbearing, overprotective fifty?!

"That you, Christian," I say, standing next to where he sat on the edge of the bed and running my hand through his disheveled copper mass of curls. "You need a haircut, Mr. Grey."

"I guess I need a new hairdresser… I used to go to Esclava."

"I can cut it for you," I volunteered. "I used to do Ray's all the time."

"You want to cut my hair?" Christian asked, looking strangely flattered that I'd take care of him so intimately.

"You're my man. I have to keep you looking your best. I'll do it tonight after work."

* * *

By Wednesday I would have willingly drowned myself in a vat of wine if I'd been allowed. Christian was giving me whiplash with his mercurial moods. One minute he was almost overbearingly loving and sweet – the next he'd be moody and distant and retiring to his study. And at night? Well, I wasn't complaining about _that._ Christian had been all over me, even waking me in the middle of the night to make love. I tried to get to the bottom of what was bothering him, but all he'd tell me is it was something at work.

My meeting with Boyce Fox and Cheryl had gone well. They both agreed with my initial assessment of the work, and Boyce had voiced his confidence in my abilities and agreed to work with me on the preliminary edit. I was over the moon but soon came to realize what a massive task I'd set myself. I found everything taking longer than I thought it would and I was constantly second guessing myself. Finally, I decided to go with my gut; that's what I'd done with my first comments, and they'd been spot on.

I also seemed to have constant low-level nausea. Not enough that I was actually ill; just a nagging, rolling feeling in my stomach that seemed exacerbated by the smell of coffee. The smell had become so intense I'd taken to doing my manuscript markups in Jack's old office, sitting at a chair on the visitor's side of his desk. Anything to escape the noxious fumes from my coworker's cups! I was deep in it when my work phone rang. Looking up, I walked out to my desk and picked it up, grateful for the interruption.

"Ana Steele."

"Steele! It's been a shit of a week, and it's only Wednesday. Want to take me to the Mile High Club so I can bitch to you about it?" Kate asked.

I laughed. Wednesday lunches had sort of become our thing. Between her schedule and mine, it was hard to find a night to get together. A midweek lunch gave us time to catch up uninterrupted. I checked my watch.

"Sure. We'll pick you up. I'll just ring and make a reservation now."

Ringing off, I called Prescott who was on duty today, and then I dialed the Mile High Club.

"This is Anastasia Steele ringing about the owner's suite for today."

"Private table for two at 1:00 pm?"

"Yes – that's right, thank you." I guess the staff at the Mile High Club had noticed my weekly lunches with Kate, too.

Kate was chatty from the moment we picked her up at the Seattle Times. She was annoyed with Elliot and wanted my opinion.

"I don't know what's going on with him," she wailed. "And what is this project he's working on with Christian? He blows me off whenever I ask about it, but Christian has been calling him about it – even on the weekends!"

"I have no idea," I said, not too concerned. Christian had mentioned to me he was trying to build more of a relationship with his brother, so I suspect it had something to do with that. Still – I might tell him to let Kate know that because now she thought Elliot was hiding something from her.

I was still listening to Kate's long list of concerns as we stepped out of the elevator at the restaurant. There was a couple in front of us waiting to be seated, but recognizing the usual girl at reception, I waved and walked towards the doors demarcating the private owner's suite. It was busy in here, again, but still no one I recognized – which was a relief since seeing Carrick and Elena.

Prescott opened the door, and Kate and I stepped inside, only for me to be confronted by one of the most singularly heartbreaking sights of my life. There, at a cozy table for two, sat Christian looking intently at a woman. A young woman. A beautiful young woman with long glossy brown hair and big brown doe eyes. They hadn't noticed us, yet, but as I stood regarding them, I saw a manila folder open on the table between them. It was too far away to read what was on the papers, but I recognized the piece on top. A long list with columns for ticks and crosses. The list of hard and soft limits Christian had presented me with not so many months ago.

My hand flew to my mouth, my eyes widening with dismay. I watched as Christian turned to me, guilt and shame flashing across his face. Apparently, I'd just walked in on the love of my life and father of my baby interviewing for his next submissive.


	44. Chapter 44

Fuck! Of all the meetings Ana could have walked in on, it had to be todays! I could see the devastation in her eyes as she recognized Susannah, and the paperwork, for what they were. She didn't need to say it – I could see she thought I was cheating on her. And worse still, _Kate_ was with her.

"Baby? Are you ok? You look faint?" I jumped up and closed the manila folder, concealing its offending contents, before walking to Ana who had started to sag. I thought she was going to flinch away from me, but she didn't. If anything, she looked lost and betrayed, and somehow that was worse. I gently steered her over to the seat I'd just vacated, which I immediately recognized as a mistake as it placed her directly opposite Susannah. The two women regarded one another.

"Ana? What's wrong? Do you want to go home?" Kate asked, drawing Ana's attention away from her careful scrutiny of Susannah. My eyes were begging Ana not to say anything. To give me a chance to explain. When Ana didn't answer Kate, I did.

"I don't think Ana is feeling well. I have the afternoon off, so I will take her home. Prescott? Can you take Miss Kavanagh back to work and make sure she gets lunch along the way."

It was a dismissal, and Kate knew it. She wasn't stupid – the tension was thick in the air, and Kate was like a bloodhound on the scent - she could sense discord from half a mile off.

"Ana? Is that what _you_ want? What's going on, Christian?" Kate's eyes were flicking between Ana and Susannah, as though she knew that the presence of one had so grossly distressed the other.

None of us spoke until finally, Ana said in a resigned voice, "I'm ok. Just feeling a little lightheaded, Kate. It's been happening a bit. Christian's right - I should probably go home and rest."

"Then I'll take you now," she argued. "Christian can join you after his meeting."

"Kate, _please._ I just want to sit for a moment and then Christian can take me home. I'm sorry about lunch. I'll call you tonight."

Susannah went to stand and make her apologies, but I stopped her with a single look. A look that Ana, of course, noticed. Just when things could not get any worse, they did!

"Make sure you do, Ana." Kate stepped toward Ana and hugged her, whispering something in her ear. Ana nodded, and Kate gave her a final worried look before allowing Prescott to lead her from the room.

By then a server had appeared. I requested another place setting, ordering for Ana and me and gesturing for Susannah to choose something from the menu. Susannah and I had only been there a few minutes and were enjoying a glass of wine but had yet to select our meals. A place set for me, and our orders placed, the waiter disappeared leaving an extraordinarily awkward trio in his wake. I poured Ana a glass of water before making the necessary introductions.

"Ana, baby – can I introduce a… friend… Susannah Millward. Susannah, can I introduce my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele."

Ana flinched, my words confirming what she'd already guessed; that Susannah was a submissive. She stood up, tears pooling in her eyes.

"I'd say it's nice to meet you, Ms. Millward, but it isn't. I'll leave you to whatever _business_ you have to discuss with Christian." Ana all but sneered the word business. I was fucked.

"No, Ana! It's not what you think. Please, baby. Give me a chance to explain. Once I have, if you want to go, I'll have Taylor take you anywhere you want. _Please_ baby?!"

"Why? So you can lie to me? Tell me just enough to appease me without telling me all that's going on?! How could you do this to me? Especially _right now?_ Is this the way it's always going to be? Me wondering when you'll be meeting up with another of your old friends? How do you expect me to trust you?"

"You can trust me. Ask me anything, and I'll tell you. _Anything!"_ I took her hand and managed to get Ana to sit, but I knew I had to explain and fast.

"Susannah, you'll forgive me, but Ana didn't know we were meeting today. She knows all about my background and previous relationships, but I need to catch her up on why I called you and asked to meet." I turned and clasped Ana's hands. She let me, but her usual loving caresses were conspicuous in their absence. Her haunted eyes looked at me with suspicion. I'd fucked this up, and there was no escaping the fact.

"You remember when we were reading on Sunday and Taylor interrupted and asked to see me? He needed to tell me that almost all of my previous submissives had met for brunch that day and that Elena Lincoln was in attendance. I had no idea why they'd met, or whether Elena was up to something, and given it was a private meeting we had no way of finding out. Taylor and I discussed it and agreed the best course of action was for me to call someone who'd attended the meeting to find out what was going on."

Ana nodded, following so far.

"It turns out my former submissives meet up twice a year for brunch and drinks. A sort of club if you will."

"They call it the Sub Club," Susannah said, giving Ana a timid smile. I could have bitten her head off for even looking at my girl, but Ana seemed to respond to Susannah's willingness to be open. "We've all moved on and are doing our own things, but we share a common bond, and it's nice to be able to talk about that freely. All of us were introduced by Mrs. Lincoln, so my understanding is she has always attended the get-togethers."

"Your understanding?" Ana asked. Even in her shock at meeting one of my former submissives, Ana's sharp mind zoomed in on the most pertinent word.

"Sunday was my first meeting. Submissives are only invited to join once they're no longer contracted by Mr. Grey. I was still under contract when they last met."

I could see Ana starting to get upset about the idea of Susannah and me being sexual, so I quickly moved on.

"Susannah was my final submissive," I explained, careful to use the word _final_ and not _most recent._ "So, I rang her to ask what was going on. Taylor and I were unaware these meetings had been occurring for several years, and were concerned that Elena might be up to something."

"I see," Ana replied. "And is she?"

"She didn't say much," Susannah said, reiterating what she'd already told me on Sunday night. "A lot of the girls were talking about you, Anastasia. No one in the scene knew you, and so they were speculating whether you were a submissive or not. Elena said you weren't but didn't go into details. Although she did ask us all to be on the lookout for a new submissive for Mr. Grey." Susannah said the last bit almost apologetically.

"Once I knew the meeting wasn't necessarily Elena trying to stir something up, I asked Susannah to make some discreet inquiries with the other women. Elena's been a little too quiet for my liking, so I wanted to find out if she's planning to use my former lifestyle against me."

Ana nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. "So you had a folder with soft and hard limits out today _why?"_

Susannah spared me by answering that.

"I'm relatively new to the scene. Before Mr. Grey, I had two Dominants. The first was my college boyfriend and we kind of found ourselves experimenting in that area. We were together for five years and broke up amicably when I moved to Seattle for work, and that's when I met another Dominant at a club here. He was alright, but I had just come out of a serious relationship and didn't want anything long-term. He was hoping to collar me, and I wasn't ready for that. I'd heard whispers in the scene about a very private Dominant who had exceptional play etiquette, didn't want a personal connection and only liked contact on weekends. It was a good fit for where I was at."

Susannah stopped to take a sip of her wine and give me a questioning look. I nodded, so she continued.

"No one could tell me anything other than he had a type, and that I should meet with Elena Lincoln. I did, and after vetting me, she introduced me to Mr. Grey. Once I'd signed up for a three-month contract, two of my friends from the scene revealed they had previously been submissives for Mr. Grey. They warned me he was not open to progressing into a relationship, and that the majority of his submissives formed an emotional attachment and that's why their contracts ended. I wasn't interested in more than play, so from the outset, I said I would sign for three months, but never intended to renew."

"And the limits today?" Ana pushed. From her expression, I knew this was the crux of her distress.

Susannah blushed.

"I've met someone in the scene I _really_ like, and he's offered me a contract. Mr. Grey knows the Dominant in question, so I asked him to bring my old list of hard and soft limits today, so I could consider them in light of the new contract I've been offered." She fished out a similar sort of contract from her purse, quickly flipping over the front page so Ana couldn't see the well-known, prominent name listed there. "And I wanted to pick his brain about my potential new Master."

"So you're not in love with Christian?"

"No. I regard Mr. Grey as a mentor. I trust him and value his opinion. All of his previous subs were happy to think of Mr. Grey in love. I won't lie – some of the girls wished it had been them – but as a group, we all want the very best for Mr. Grey, and we're happy for you both."

I was relieved when the waiter arrived at that moment with our meals. Ana looked as though she was on overload, so a break while we ate our meals was welcome.

Throughout lunch, Susannah told Ana and me a little about herself. While I knew the basics, I'd never got to know Susannah on a personal level. She was the youngest of seven, having six older brothers. Brothers four and five were twins, and she was returning home this weekend for their thirtieth birthday party. She kept the conversation light, telling us about childhood antics and growing up on a farm with six boys.

After a while Ana also opened up, at least a little, telling Susannah about being the only daughter of a baseball and fishing mad father. It was still a tense lunch, but by the end, Ana seemed a lot more at ease.

We were finishing our mains when Susannah moved back to our reason for meeting.

"Mr. Grey? I spoke with the others in the group I know well enough to ask. Mrs. Lincoln has not confided in any of them about a specific plan. However, she is offering a twenty-thousand dollar reward for anyone who finds a suitable submissive that you sign with."

I shuddered, grasping Ana's hand.

"Susannah? No offense intended to any of the women I've formerly partnered with, but I'm not interested in that sort of relationship anymore. I believe that when you find the right person you know it. I knew it the moment I laid eyes on Anastasia."

Susannah smiled gloriously.

"I hope you're right, Mr. Grey. I felt that way the first time I saw... you know who. I really hope it works out for you two and for he and me as well."

"Susannah?"

"Yes?"

"I know we have an NDA, but I know him, and he knows me. Feel free to ask him to call me if you think it will help; I'm happy to be a referee to you."

* * *

Ana was so quiet on the way home I was worried. She'd agreed, with a single nod, for me to call in sick for her for the afternoon. Taylor took us both back to Escala, uttering not a single word on the trip. In the elevator, I put my arm around Ana's waist, and she leaned against my bicep, but not a word was spoken. I waited until we'd passed through the great room and Ana was lowering the shades in our bedroom before I spoke.

"Ana? I promise you; I wasn't meeting Susannah for any other purpose than what I said."

"I know, Christian. But I still wish you'd trusted me to tell me what was going on! How would you feel had the positions been reversed?!"

I hung my head. I wasn't used to having to justify my actions to anyone. Ana was right. I would have exploded had I been in her situation.

"I need to protect you, Ana. You're so precious to me. And now you're carrying our baby, too. I don't want you to stress."

"Christian – I'm sick of telling you - hiding things from me just _stresses me more!_ I can deal with almost anything, as long as you're honest with me. Do you have any fucking idea how I felt walking in and seeing you sitting with a gorgeous brunette, a submissives' contract in front of you?! You obviously had no intention of telling me you were meeting with Susannah, and _that's_ what hurts! I'm not stupid. I'm not some imbecile who needs to be protected from reality or fed half-truths to protect me. The truth is not what scares me - it's your lies and willingness to hide what's going on from me that I fear. I don't feel trusted or valued when you keep things from me."

She stripped off her work attire, continuing with her bra and panties until she was nude.

"So how are you feeling about today?" I probed cautiously, trying to get a handle on how furious she was.

Ana didn't answer at first – moving through to our bathroom and running a bath.

"Meeting Susannah was alright. It put my mind at ease a bit."

"So you're not angry?" I said a smile on my face.

"I didn't say that," Ana replied flipping her hair over her shoulder contemptuously.

"Ana? I'm _sorry!_ I fucked up. I did the wrong thing for what I _thought_ was the right reason!"

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Christian," she snapped, closing then locking the bathroom door, leaving me in our bedroom to contemplate the error of my ways.


	45. Chapter 45

"Baby? Would you like to have some friends over tonight?" Christian tentatively suggested as we sat at breakfast on Friday morning. "We haven't caught up with anyone for a while."

I suppressed a smile. Christian had been apologizing almost continuously since lunch at the Mile High Club on Wednesday. Yesterday he'd sent flowers to work, and when I got home, he was even more attentive and loving than usual. This must be his latest peace offering.

He'd been shocked when I refused him on Wednesday night, although I _had_ allowed him to cuddle, finally falling asleep with his hand gently stroking my tummy. I was out of bed early Thursday morning, and Thursday night I fell asleep on the sofa in the theatre room, waking only for a moment when Christian carried me into bed.

Sitting side by side at the breakfast bar this morning, I could see Christian was worried. Sex was his way of knowing everything was ok between us, so until we were intimate again, he'd continue to stress.

Now I'd had a chance to properly meet one of Christian's submissives I was feeling a bit more settled. I would never have chosen to meet another – especially after my horrible experience with Leila – but Susannah had been so _nice._ After meeting her, I appreciated I'd been giving Christian's previous relationships too much of my mental real estate. As Susannah had told us about her life, I'd realized it was news to Christian, too. Yes, he knew her body, but he didn't know her. And she didn't know him. Not the _real_ him. Christian had only given that part of himself to me. It was a reassuring thought.

"Who did you have in mind?" I asked, knowing that Kate was going to Portland for a story she was working on, and Elliot was going with her. "Kate and Elliot are away for the weekend, but I suppose I could see if José is in town?" I teased.

"No that's ok," he quickly replied. "Another time. We could go out to dinner? Or something else? What do you feel like doing?"

I considered the options. Dining out could be fun, but I was still tiring easily. A nice dinner and a quiet night at home sounded good.

"What about you pick me up and take me to my work drinks this afternoon? Then we can spend the evening at home. Although I wouldn't mind finding a desk for the library this weekend." I was finding myself using that space more and more, and I liked the idea of making it more mine, especially if I was going to work from home occasionally as my pregnancy progressed.

Christian's grin was instantaneous, and I knew why. If I was choosing a desk for myself, it meant I planned to stay.

"Sure! Why don't I see if we can get a decorator out here on Sunday? They can focus on the library, but I think we could make a few changes out here, too."

"What would you like to change?" I asked, curious about the modifications Christian would make to his castle in the sky.

"Anything you want, baby," he said, tentatively stroking my hand. Christian was in the dog house, and boy did he know it.

We still hadn't talked about his meeting with Susannah. I knew he thought I was still angry, but I wasn't. Not really. But we _did_ need to talk about him keeping things from me. I'd meant what I said about it making me feel as though he didn't value and trust me. I planned to talk to him about it tonight. And once I was sure he understood how I felt about it, and how things needed to be going forward? Well, then I'd give him the intimate reassurance he needed to prove that things were still ok between us.

* * *

"Is Christian joining us for drinks this afternoon?" Casey asked, sitting on the edge of my desk at lunchtime.

"Yes – he's planning to," I replied. I'd spent the morning wrestling with a particularly detailed part of Boyce Fox' manuscript, and my head was throbbing. A sandwich and a bit of light conversation with Casey were just what the doctor ordered.

"You're so lucky! He's rich, handsome, and looks like he worships the ground you walk on," she said with a smile.

"He can also be high-handed, pig-headed and he has the most _insufferable_ habit of being good at almost everything he does," I said with a grin, wanting to paint an accurate picture of Mr. Grey.

"Is he good in bed?" Casey asked with a mischievous smile.

"I'm not answering that," I said, blushing furiously.

"Ahha," Casey said knowingly. "I bet he is!"

The two of us were giggling furiously when Cheryl found us. "Look at you two - thick as thieves!"

Casey and I smiled. That's something I liked about Cheryl; she didn't treat me any differently than she had before she knew I was dating Christian. She was a great boss to Casey, and now she was a great boss to me, too.

"I have a treat for you girls, today. I thought you'd both benefit from sitting in on a meeting with a broker…"

Casey and I grinned at each other. Broker's meetings were full on and not the sort of thing an assistant usually got to experience. However Cheryl was actively mentoring Casey and me, so she included us in the various aspects of her job.

* * *

Christian was sitting on the edge of my desk waiting when Casey and I got out of our meeting at 4:00 pm.

"Hey! Have you been here long?" I asked surprised to see him, giving him a quick kiss.

"About ten minutes. Sawyer rang Taylor to say the paparazzi appeared in force about an hour ago, so Taylor and I came across early to escort you across to drinks. Did you tell anyone I was coming here this afternoon?" he asked casually. "We think someone tipped them off."

The press was still hounding us, but interest had reduced significantly. For so many to be here today did suggest someone had alerted them.

"Only Casey," I said gesturing to my co-worker, "but we've been in a meeting all afternoon."

Casey shifted uncomfortably. "Um – when I went to get the coffee, Mark was in the break room. He asked who was coming to drinks this afternoon and I said you were, Ana, with Mr. Grey. I'm so sorry. I didn't occur to me he'd tell the press."

Christian's lips twitched, and I knew Mark was in trouble.

"Please let Taylor deal with it," I implored.

"I won't mess around when it comes to your safety, Anastasia. Do you remember getting knocked over?"

Oh. I was Anastasia again, was I?

"I understand that Christian, but there's no need to ruin the guy's life when we don't even know if he did anything. Let Taylor have a word with him."

"Fine," Christian agreed, tapping instructions into his phone before pocketing it and turning on one of his mega-watt smiles. "Since I'm here early, why don't you show me what you've been working on?"

After a quick tour showing Christian the various aspects of my job, the others were ready to sign off for the day. A quick peek out the front revealed the paparazzi were indeed back in force.

"Mr. Grey. Miss Steele. Can I recommend you leave by car from the garage? By the time the press realize you're not part of the group leaving from the front entrance, you'll already be inside the bar." Taylor looked almost smug – his idea was brilliant. Accordingly, Christian and I followed he and Sawyer down to the SIP basement and into the waiting SUV. The plan worked without a hitch. As we pulled out of the garage, I could see the paparazzi surging around the front of the building where the other workers were leaving SIP. Taylor pulled out and stopped directly outside the bar, and Christian and I walked inside without anybody noticing us.

"Can I get you a drink?" Christian asked, standing closer to me than was strictly necessary.

"Just a soda, please," I replied, trying to get a read on Christian's mood.

"Ana? Are we ok?" he asked suddenly, pulling me to him. "I know I fucked up and I'm sorry…"

My poor fifty. Yes, he'd been an ass, but I knew he loved me. I hated seeing him so unsure of himself.

"We'll talk when we get home, but we're good. I love you, Mr. Grey." I slipped my arms around his neck. Christian's smile almost lit up the room.

"I love you too, Miss Steele," he replied, brushing his lips gently against mine.

Christian was charm itself when the rest of the SIP staff arrived. We spent a lot of the time speaking with Cheryl and Casey, although most of the group stopped by to say a quick word to us. I had a surprisingly good time. Christian kept the conversation light, and before I knew it, it was 6:00 pm and time for us to leave. The press were gathered out the front, so Taylor ordered Sawyer to bring the car around to the back entrance. A quick trip through the bar's kitchen and we were in the SUV and on our way home.

Mrs. Jones had a delicious chicken and bacon fettuccine waiting for us, and Christian opened a bottle of sparkling non-alcoholic cider for us to share. Wishing us a good weekend, Gail disappeared, leaving us to our discussion. Before we started our meal, I fetched a notepad and pen from the library. Over the course of an hour, we ate our dinner, and I made a list of promises Christian and I made to each other.

"It's simple, Christian. When you're making a decision, and that voice in the back of your head says you should talk to me about it then _listen to it!"_ I concluded.

"I will," he promised. "My whole life, I've been alone. A 'me' – it's going to take me time to get used to being part of a 'we.' But there's no one I'd rather be a 'we' with."

"You always know the right thing to say," I grumbled, getting up from my chair and sitting in Christian's lap. "You want to carry me to bed?"

"Now _that's_ the right thing to say," Christian laughed, picking me up and walking me to our bedroom. Placing me gently on my side of the bed, Christian closed the door and turned back toward me, shucking his clothes onto the floor as he did.

"Baby? I've missed you so much," he growled, making his way toward me.

"I've missed you too," I admitted, shedding my top and bra before shimmying off the rest of my outfit. "Make love to me?"

"My pleasure," Christian grinned. "Yours, too!"

Lying in the middle of the bed, I let Christian roll me onto my stomach. He propped a pillow under my hips and then moved my legs apart. I thought he was going to take me from behind, but instead, he started stroking me, gently caressing my slit and folds. He kept skirting my clit and core, putting his fingers everywhere except where I wanted them. After nearly fifteen minutes of not quite enough stimulation, I exploded – loudly and vociferously demanding a more direct approach.

"Do you need my cock?" Christian asked, his voice low and sultry.

"Yes," I whispered.

"I can't hear you, baby. I asked... _do you need my cock?!"_

"Yes!" I yelled. "Yes, yes, yes! Christian, I need your cock!" I was desperate and, for now at least, unashamed.

"Thank fuck," Christian moaned, lowering himself between my legs. "I need you, baby. I need you and me together." Pushing the swollen tip of his dick into my slick folds, Christian found my entry and slid in with a firm, decisive thrust. His body on top of mine, he rested a forearm on either side of me, taking the bulk of his weight.

After a couple of days not being intimate, I thought Christian's motions would be fast and furious. But it was the reverse; his movements were slow and deliberate, his lips kissing the back of my neck and then behind my ear while he whispered sweet loving things. And it felt out of this world!

I was nearing my peak when Christian whispered: "I love you, Anastasia Steele. Thank you for not giving up on me. I love you. I love you so fucking much. I'm going to make mistakes, but please always give me the benefit of the doubt. I'll never hurt you on purpose. I only ever want to make you happy. I promise to talk and tell you everything in future."

"Ok," I groaned. I was so very close to my release, yet I knew this was an important pledge. "I promise always to stop and listen. I'll always give you a chance to explain," I vowed in return.

And after that words were no longer relevant. It was all about Christian giving me pleasure and in the process finding his own. Afterward, as we drifted off to sleep curled up together satisfied and replete, I could honestly say everything was perfect. Life just could not get any better than this!


	46. Chapter 46

I woke up with a grin on my face. Last night had been indescribable. Ana and I had spent the night talking and making love, before falling asleep wrapped around one another. Ana was still asleep as I slipped out of bed, throwing on boxers, a TShirt and padding downstairs. As I'd arranged, Mrs. Jones was waiting in the kitchen.

"Fruit skewers, savory muffins, sandwiches, mini-quiches, sparkling water and cider, chocolate covered strawberries plus a selection of hard cheeses and crackers," she reported without needing to be asked. On the counter in front of her was a double-sided wicker picnic basket.

"And everything else?" I checked.

"Everything has been taken care of, exactly as per your instructions, Mr. Grey. I might say, you have a lovely day for it."

I looked out through the floor to ceiling windows at the start of a gorgeous Seattle day. A miracle given Seattle had cloud cover eighty-four percent of the time; today the skies were clear and blue as far as the eye could see. It truly was the perfect day and ideal boating weather.

"This is where you escaped to," Ana said, coming out to the kitchen dressed in a white cotton robe. I suspected she was naked beneath it, but Mrs. Jones' presence prevented any exploratory advances.

"It's a perfect day – I thought we could go out on The Grace?" I knew Ana loved boating because we were out on our own on the water, no one near us for miles. With the paparazzi still on our case, it was an easy way to get out of Escala but still have our privacy.

"That sounds great! It would be a shame to waste such gorgeous weather."

Wishing us a pleasant trip, Gail disappeared back to enjoy her weekend while Ana and I had a light breakfast.

"So, what happened with Mark?" Ana asked as we were finishing up. My first test after promising full disclosure, I was determined to show Ana she could trust me.

"His brother works at the Pacific NW Magazine, and Mark admitted to tipping him off about your movements. Taylor has explained if he does it again, his employment at SIP will be terminated."

Ana nodded. "Thank you for not ruining him. He's a nice guy – just a little clueless."

"He'll be clueless and unemployed if it happens again," I growled. I'd been all for firing the fucker's ass, but Taylor had also urged restraint – so a stern talking to and an amended employment contract had to suffice. Actually, that reminded me.

"Mark's employment contract is being amended to specifically include a clause about confidentiality. Not just your movements; all SIP confidential and sensitive data. The SIP contracts are all lacking that, so over the next month or so every contract will be amended."

"All because of me?" Ana gasped.

"Not entirely. A confidentiality clause is standard these days. The SIP employment contracts have not been updated in a long time which is why it's missing. It's something the GEH legal team would have picked up, eventually, but with you working there, it's prudent to bring it in sooner rather than later."

"Will there be any other changes to the contracts?"

"Nothing of significance other than upping the medical entitlements. We have a corporate insurance plan for GEH employees that is one of the best in the country. Now SIP is under the GEH umbrella, the employees are eligible, and their new contracts will reflect that."

"That must cost a fortune," Ana mused.

"Yes. But, if you find the right people and reward them well them well, then they'll excel. It's a small overall investment and makes for a stable workforce. The savings in staff turnover alone make it worthwhile."

"And it looks after your staff and their families. Does that mean I can afford to keep Dr. Greene on for blip?" she teased.

I growled. There was no way in hell Ana would be paying for any of her medical expenses for our baby. Besides – once she was Mrs. Anastasia Grey, they'd both be covered under _my_ plan.

"I want to take care of you and our baby," I said, knowing I sounded a little petulant.

"You take brilliant care of us," Ana replied, instantly calming me. Breakfast over, we retired to the bedroom where we showered and dressed for the day. I choose a pair of jeans and a linen shirt. Casual but still presentable. Ana picked a pair of denim shorts, a blue striped top, a navy sweater with a pair of espadrilles. I swear that woman could make me pitch a tent in my jeans without even trying.

After adjusting myself, we were back out in the great room, and I was collecting our picnic basket from the counter.

"Let's go, baby," I said, holding out one hand to Ana.

"No security today?" she asked in surprise.

"No. We'll take the R8, so we can outrun the press if we have to."

In the car, the top down, I pulled on a cap and tossed one to Ana. Donning a pair of aviators, I pulled out of the underground garage, and into the streets of Seattle. It was still early, so the roads were quiet, and I quickly made our way to the Leschi North Moorage where The Grace was tied up waiting for us.

"Morning Mack," I greeted, giving the older Irish man a grin.

"Mr. Grey. Miss Steele. Good day you've got yourself," he replied. "Everything is ready."

Ana and I were soon onboard, waving to Mack as we set out North toward the Inglewood Golf Club, scene of numerous crushing golf defeats served to me by my father, Claude, and even once by Elliot. I tried to avoid golfing like the plague. Everything about it pissed me off, but especially the plaid golf shorts and argyle vest that seemed to be the standard uniform. Still – a lot of business took place on the golf course, so I let Claude torture me with a game once every month or so in a futile attempt to make me more proficient.

We wouldn't be stopping for golf today, though. I wanted to sail around the edge of Lake Washington. Anastasia didn't know much of Seattle outside the city and Bellevue. I wanted to show her some of the rest of the area she now called home.

"You're quiet," Ana observed from where she was sitting beside me. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was thinking of all the places I want to show you," I admitted. Growing up in Seattle, I had an almost endless supply of wonderful places to take Ana. I couldn't wait until little blip was here and I could take him or her, too. "You and blip."

Ana smiled shyly. I knew she loved it when we talked about blip. Looking at her now, there was no outward sign that she was carrying my child, other than perhaps slightly fuller breasts. However, her occasional bouts of nausea helped reassure me all was well, and we had our next scan in three weeks' time.

"What do you think we're having?" she asked out of the blue.

"A boy," I said immediately. "I don't know why, but I think it's a boy."

"I think so, too," Ana said a little wistfully. "Although I would like a girl. If not now, then in the future."

"I think I'd like that, too," I said, wrapping an arm around Ana's shoulders. She smiled. We hadn't really talked about our plans for subsequent children, but now was as good a time as any. "I like the idea of at least one more. Maybe two?"

"Definitely one more, and I'm open to maybe two" Ana agreed. "I didn't like growing up an only child and seeing you with your siblings makes me want that for blip." I kissed the top of Ana's head in agreement, pleased we saw things the same way.

We'd been skimming the coastline for an hour and a half when we approached the Evergreen floating bridge. We passed under the raised section, and then we were following the coast along Medina.

"Seattle must have been a gorgeous place to grow up," Ana commented, looking at the terraced lawns and sprawling homes. Even from the water, you could tell these were million-dollar properties.

"It was. Moving from Detroit to here was like a dream. Everything was so big, clean and new. I can still remember the first time on my Dad's boat and thinking when I was bigger I wanted a boat of my own so that I could do that."

"And here you are."

"Here _we_ are," I corrected, the double meaning lost on Ana right now.

South of the bridge and heading toward the bottom of Medina, I started steering us toward a landing pontoon. As we got closer, a house became visible. Sitting proudly in the middle of a manicured lawn, surrounded by established trees, the two-story house while structurally sound was a bit of a faded beauty – but it was the land I was interested in. A triple frontage onto Lake Washington looking across to the Seattle skyline was almost unheard of. A deceased estate, the house had been vacant for quite some time, and the inside was dated. But despite that, due to its location and size, it would be snapped up quickly. In fact, this home hadn't even hit the market, yet.

Once I knew we were expecting, I'd made some discreet inquiries with high-end realtors letting them know what I was after; waterfront property an easy commute to Seattle in a family friendly neighborhood. Medina checked all the boxes, and this was one of its premier properties.

"What's this?" Ana asked, looking with interest at the pontoon and the pathway leading to the house.

"An idea," I said, nervously fingering the black velvet box in my jeans pocket.

Tying up, I helped Ana off the boat and up to the garden. As I'd arranged, there were two Adirondack chairs with a table between them on the lawn waiting for us. I settled the basket onto the table, quickly pulling out the spread Mrs. Jones had so carefully prepared for us. Ana was uncharacteristically quiet, sipping cider and eating a sandwich while watching me. I wanted to ask her then and there, but my mouth felt like it was filled with cotton wool, so we continued to eat in companionable silence.

"What a beautiful view," Ana eventually commented, looking across the water to the Seattle skyline.

"How would you like to wake up to it every morning?" I asked.

"What?" Ana gasped, her eyes widening.

"This house is for sale. Well, it will be in a few days – the agent is giving us first look. It's a triple frontage onto the lake, an easy drive to Seattle and near my parents' house. It's the sort of property I could see us raising a family in."

Ana hadn't said a word. Finally coming to her senses, she raised her eyebrows at me.

"You want to buy _this?!"_

I couldn't get a read on what she was thinking. Had I misjudged things so badly?

"Ignore the house – we can knock it over and rebuild," I quickly blurted out. "Elliot came out here during the week and said there are lots of possibilities."

"Knock it down?" Ana said with a frown. "But Christian, it's _gorgeous!_ Do you have keys to look inside?" She sounded almost childlike in her happiness. I nodded, following her up to the house and opening one of the many doors facing the water.

I let Ana lead the way, and with her descriptions of what she'd do to the place, faded hardwoods and lackluster paintwork suddenly looked fresh again thanks to her enthusiasm. It would need a new kitchen and bathrooms, but the overall design was good. Ana was right – with some tender loving care, and a thoughtful remodel, this house could be brought back to its former glory.

We went upstairs hand in hand, checking the bedrooms one by one. Six in total as well as a library, billiards room, and several other rooms. Finally, we were at the master suite. I paused nervously at the double doors before opening them with a flourish. There, in the center of the room facing the view, was a king-sized bed made up with clean, fresh white linens.

With my hand in Ana's, I led her over to the windows, standing behind her and wrapping my arms around her belly. It was now or never. Get your act together, Grey!


	47. Chapter 47

"Oh, Christian! It's so beautiful!" I gasped, looking out across the lake to Seattle in the distance.

"So, you think you could live here?" Christian asked, his tone hopeful.

"Who _wouldn't_ want to live here?" I said, and I meant it. The spot was gorgeous, and with some modifications, the house would be stunning. I didn't know much about Seattle real estate, but I knew this wouldn't come cheap. Still Christian was right; this was the type of house where you could raise a family. While I loved Escala, I couldn't see us raising our child there.

"If you like it, I'll buy it," Christian declared, spinning me in his arms. "This could all be ours."

"Do it," I whispered, tilting my head back as Christian's lips crashed into mine.

I threw my arms around Christian's neck, surrendering to his urgent, demanding kisses.

"We're going to be so happy here, baby. I promise you." Christian's voice was gravelly and rough, trying to contain his emotions.

"Christian, I'll be happy anywhere, as long as it's with you," I replied, stroking the side of his face with my hand as we kissed again.

"I hope so, baby," he said swallowing nervously and stepping back from my embrace. He grabbed my hands, holding them between his, before slowing sinking onto one knee. I shivered, knowing without being told what was about to happen.

"Anastasia Steele. You're everything I never knew I needed, and now you're here I know I can't live my life without you. I love you, baby. I'm so excited to be starting this next stage of our lives together. I can't wait until we move here – you, me and our baby. I want us to be a family, and as part of that, I'm hoping you'll do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Christian Grey?"

He paused, and swallowed again, regarding me carefully. I was struck dumb, so he asked again.

"Ana, baby? Will you marry me?"

He was kneeling at my feet, a small velvet box in his hands. As I watched, Christian opened the casket to reveal an _enormous_ diamond ring. I gasped.

"Christian! That's huge!"

"Don't think about the ring, baby," he implored. "Think about what I'm asking. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

And I didn't need to pause when he asked me that. I knew that answer already. Christian's name was embedded in my heart and soul. I was carrying the blossoming seed of our love, and more than anything, I wanted to spend my life with this man.

"Yes."

"Yes?" he checked his hands squeezing mine.

"Yes!" I said again, my hands shaking as he stood up, plucking the ring from the box and tentatively placing it on my ring finger.

I looked down and was dazzled. The stone was literally the width of my finger, extending up and downwards from the delicate metal shank. It was so beautifully simple, although I shuddered to think how much it must have cost.

"You're really going to be mine?" Christian asked again, his eyes filled with joy.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I giggled, laughing as he picked me up and spun around before placing me at the foot of the bed. Together we sunk onto the snowy linen, curling into one another.

"I want you naked except that ring," Christian growled, helping me remove my shorts, panties, shirt, and bra until I was naked as he loomed over me. "Mine!" he exclaimed.

"Yours," I replied, nodding. Then I took my index finger and gently ran it over his lips, down his chin, Adam's apple, and sternum before deviating until it sat over his heart. "Mine," I declared.

"Yours," he agreed. "Always yours, baby!"

Stripping then lowering himself carefully to me, Christian and I were soon joined. It was slow and sweet, and afterward, we lay curled against one another.

"Was I that much of a certainty?" I joked, gesturing to the bed which I now appreciated he'd arranged for just this purpose.

"No, but I hoped," Christian said with an embarrassed shrug. "I was worried you might say no."

"Really?" I was surprised.

"Yes really. You did make me ask three times!"

I couldn't help but cuddle my man and reassure him that my delay responding was due to shock and not any uncertainty about my answer! We canoodled on the bed, together admiring my engagement ring.

"So, you said Elliot came to check out the house. Does that mean he knew you were planning to propose?" I asked curiously. While I was delighted Christian had asked me, I was still wondering when he'd made that decision.

"He does. You know our trip to New York? The 'business' was me choosing the diamond for your ring."

"And you asked Elliot to go with you?"

"He's my brother; I wanted his opinion."

I lay there thinking.

"But we'd organized that trip _before_ your birthday?"

"Yes, that's right." I could see Christian knew where I was heading with this. "Anastasia – I knew I wanted to spend my life with you _before_ you told me about blip."

"Really?" I started tearing up, although I didn't really know why.

"Yes, baby. I already wanted you and me forever. Blip is the icing on the cake!"

We lay together when I suddenly realized something. "So, Kate knows we're pregnant, but not Elliot. Did Kate know you were going to propose?"

"I asked Elliot not to say anything…"

I giggled, thinking about them both keeping such big secrets.

"So… when are we going to tell everyone?" I wondered out loud.

"I thought at Mom's Labor Day weekend party? Almost everyone will be there, and you're welcome to invite anyone special not already on the list. We'll have had our twelve-week scan on the Friday before, and Dr. Greene said that was a safer time to tell people. I imagine the press is going to go nuts once they hear about the engagement. I thought it might be easier if we drop the engagement and pregnancy news at the same time?"

I internally flinched a little. By making the two announcements together, everyone would assume Christian was marrying me because I was pregnant. But then, if we announced our engagement and a few weeks later I started to show people would come to the same conclusion anyway, and it would mean extra weeks of media speculation. Christian was right; we should tell all our nearest and dearest at the same time. Except for Ray. I wanted my Dad to know right away.

"Labor Day is ok," I paused to give Christian a reassuring smile, "but I don't want to spring this on Daddy in front of other people."

"I asked for his blessing, so he won't be entirely surprised."

"When?!"

"Last weekend when he asked to speak with me after we told him about blip. And I showed him your ring. It arrived on Sunday before he left."

"And Daddy said yes?"

"He threatened me several times, laid down some ground rules, but ultimately he was alright. But feel free to give him a call and let him know."

"Thank you," I said, grateful he'd asked Ray. Daddy was old-fashioned about things like that. I knew he hadn't been thrilled I was pregnant when Christian and I weren't yet married. Hopefully, our baby being born in wedlock would help with that. That's assuming we were married before blip was born. "Christian? How soon do you want to get married?"

He rolled onto his side to look at me. "As soon as it can be arranged. I'd marry you tomorrow if you'd let me."

"Well, I am pretty sure a marriage license has a three-day cooling off period," I teased. But I did like the idea of marrying sooner rather than later. "I suppose how soon depends on how big you want it? Did you have anything in mind?"

"As long as you're there I'll be happy," he replied, draping his arm around my waist. "What do _you_ want, Ana? Did you want a big white wedding? Or something small?"

"Definitely small. I know everyone will expect you to have a big society wedding, but that's not me. If we could, I'd like immediate family and close friends only."

"Then let's do that. I don't want a circus. Your family, mine and as soon as possible." Christian rolled onto his back, smiling as he lay naked in the sun streaming through the window. I can't believe this gorgeous man had asked me to be his. I rolled onto my stomach, resting my head on his outstretched arm, thinking about the practicalities of organizing a wedding.

"Jose could take the photos, and we could have the reception at the Mile High Club, I suppose…"

"Or Canlis. I haven't taken you there, yet, but they have private dining rooms with amazing views."

"The biggest challenge will be keeping my mother out of things. As soon as she knows we're engaged, she'll want to take over." I could already see Mom using my wedding, and Christian's credit card, as an excuse to spend to extravagance.

"Then organize all the big things before you tell her," Christian suggested.

Thinking it over, a crazy idea came to me.

"Christian? Labor Day is Monday the fifth of September, and my birthday is on Saturday the tenth. What if we invited Mom and Bob to be there when we announce on Labor Day at your parents' house, they could stay in Seattle for the week, and we could get married on my birthday? We could send out 'save the date' notices for the tenth now, and no one will question it given it's my birthday. I can book all the big things before Mom and Bob arrive, then she and I can spend the days between Labor Day and the wedding making the final selections?"

"That's four weeks away!" Christian exclaimed, sitting up in excitement.

"I know," I said, biting my lip nervously. "Do you think I can get it organized in time?"

"Andrea can help you if you get overwhelmed. And Gail. Are you sure about getting married on your birthday?"

"I'm sure. It makes sense, given the timeline, and that way Mom and Bob can find out our big news at the same time as everyone else."

* * *

"Do we really have to go?" I whined as Christian packed the leftover food back into the picnic basket.

"I'm afraid we do, baby. You have a wedding to plan, and I have a house to buy." I'd never seen Christian look so happy. We'd made love again, and then he'd called Taylor to collect us and drop off Mack to take The Grace back to her mooring.

"Mr. Grey. Miss Steele," Taylor greeted us after he'd pulled into the driveway of what was going to be our new house. I noticed there was a six-car garage adjacent to the residence, with what looked like living quarters above. I must check them out and see if they could be made into something suitable for Taylor and Gail.

Christian had said it would take at least six months to do the sort of modifications we wanted for the house. I didn't want the drama of moving house while heavily pregnant, and the apartment was closer to the hospital I'd probably birth at, so we decided to stay at Escala until blip was born. I was nonetheless excited to start planning the renovations for our new home.

"Hello Taylor," I said shyly, keeping my hand in my pocket so he would not see my new bling. I'm sure he and Gail knew what Christian had planned for today, but I wanted to tell them our news together. We'd decided the only people we'd tell before Labor Day were Ray, Andrea, Gail, Taylor, and Elliot. Everyone else would have to wait three weeks to find out. I'd be disappointed to take off my beautiful engagement ring, but if it gave me the privacy to plan our wedding without intrusion from the press or family, then it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

Back at Escala we ascended in the elevator with Taylor, and I was unsurprised to see Gail in the kitchen pottering around. One look at her face and I knew she was aware of Christian's plans for the day.

"Have a nice time?" she asked us innocently.

"Not bad. Sailed up to the north end of Lake Washington. Decided to buy a house. And asked Anastasia to marry me. She said yes, so not a bad day's work," Christian replied with a boyish grin.

Gail squealed. "Oh, congratulations to you both! What wonderful news!"

Taylor grinned and shook Christian's hand, while Gail engulfed me in a hug. I held out my finger to show her the admittedly huge diamond perched on my ring finger.

"Oh, it's just beautiful," she said, dabbing at her eyes. "Have you thought about when you want to have the wedding?"

"Yes. We've set the date for Saturday the tenth of September." I quickly filled Gail in on the plan to tell everyone both bits of news on Labor Day and to have all the major wedding elements booked before then, so my mother couldn't take over. "There's so much I need to do," I said, reality starting to catch up with me. Even with a small guest list, bookings needed to be made – and I'd completely forgotten about a dress!

"Well the best place to start is with a list," Gail said firmly – and just like that I found myself installed at the dining table with a notepad and a couple of wedding magazines Gail admitted she'd purchased earlier in the day 'just in case.'

* * *

If you'd like to see a picture of Ana's engagement ring, check out my Facebook Page:

www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters


	48. Chapter 48

Ana and Gail were in their element, and I knew I'd need to give my housekeeper a big thank you present at the end of this. I stood around and listened for a while as Gail thoughtfully mentioned things Ana might need to consider and then annotated Ana's preferences on a pad, never once imposing her thoughts or ideas. Ana had asked me if there was anything I had firm views on, and I mentioned I would like final say about the wine selections, that if she chose to have a religious ceremony, it would please Mom no end if we used the family chaplain, and that I wanted Ana to wear white. Ana quickly agreed to all three requests, and then it seemed my presence was no longer required.

I disappeared into my study, pouring a brandy. I plowed through an hour or so of emails before looking at the time. Late Saturday afternoon. I'd give Elliot a try.

"Wassup lil' bro?!" Elliot answered. I could hear the sound of a game and a bar in the background.

"Lots. Are you alone? Can you talk?"

"Yeah. Katie-girl is interviewing the Portland Mavericks, so I'm here at the bar while she interviews them."

"So, I'm buying a house…"

"No shit! That's huge, man! The triple-fronted on Lake Washington?"

"The one and the same. I asked Anastasia to marry me, too…"

"And?!"

I laughed. _That_ had got his attention!

"And she said yes! We're going to announce it at Bellevue on Labor Day, so keep it to yourself until then."

"Can I at least tell Kate about the house? She's been really funny all week. She knows I've been hiding something from her, and she's worried I'm cheating on her or some stupid shit."

"You can tell her about the house, but ask her not to tell anyone. We want to share our news ourselves."

"Got it. So, you ringing me to ask me to be your best man?" he joked, although there was a serious undertone to it.

"You bet. Ana and I haven't had a chance to talk all that stuff through – but if we're doing the whole wedding attendants thing, then you're my best man for sure!"

"Awesome! You know, I've had my fair share of bridesmaids, but I've never boned a maid of honor."

"Elliot – you're my brother, and I love you, but you disgust me sometimes."

"Dude! It's like one of the last on my list, and since Katie-girl is it, I wanna tick it off! I've had a policewoman, twins in a threesome, a Swedish backpacker, then there was the…"

"I'm going now!" I said, grinning despite myself.

"Give Ana my congrats!" Elliot laughed before I disconnected the call.

Shit. I'd better go and ask Ana her thoughts about the bridal party. I walked back out into the great room, and sure enough, Gail and Ana were still going. Ana looked up at me and smiled.

"Perfect timing! I have some basic ideas to discuss." She gestured for me to sit beside her as she consulted an alarmingly long list. Gail thoughtfully retired to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner and give Ana and me our privacy.

"Since Mom and Bob will probably stay here, I thought I'd get ready at Escala, and you can get ready at your parents' house? I looked at your parents' church, and while it is close to Bellevue, it isn't particularly inspiring."

I grunted in agreement. Renovated in the seventies, fashions and trends had changed considerably since then.

"Gail and I googled, and there's a gorgeous small little church of the right denomination in Capitol Hill that would be _perfect_ if Reverend Walsh could marry us there?" It was phrased as a question, but the hopeful look in Anastasia's eyes made it a given as far as I was concerned. She had her heart set on it, and that was good enough for me! I dutifully looked as Ana pulled up the website, pointing out how convenient it would be for our guests before showing me photos of the side chapel she thought would be a nice size for our small gathering.

"If we have an afternoon ceremony, afterward I thought we could have photos in the churchyard and then we could go to Canlis or The Mile High Club for our reception?"

"That sounds brilliant, baby," I said, leaning over and kissing her temple. "How about we have a breakfast meeting with Andrea first thing Monday morning, and she can handle all the bookings for you? She can probably also suggest florists and all that?"

"Ok," Ana agreed, so I fished out my phone and sent Andrea a message advising her to be at work and ready at 7:30 am on Monday.

"Elliot said congrats, by the way. Kate is suspicious about all the time he's been spending with me, so I said it was ok to explain to her about the house. I hope that's ok?"

"That's fine. I'll call her tonight or tomorrow and tell her about it."

"Oh. And Elliot volunteered to be my best man. I told him we hadn't discussed attendants and all that yet. We will need two witnesses to sign the wedding registry, though."

"I only want Kate as my attendant, so Elliot would work well if that's what you want?"

"The best man usually gives a speech," I said warned ominously.

"I'm sure Kate will help him write it," Ana assured me. She had a point. Elliot might not be scared of Ana or me, but if he wanted a chance to tick off another conquest on his list, he'd have to keep Kate on side.

"So how many on the guest list so far?" I checked, peering at the notepad.

"Nineteen including us; your grandparents, parents, Kate and Elliot, Mia, Mom and Bob, Ray and I'd like to invite Lillian as I've known her my whole life and she's almost my grandma. Also Gail and Taylor, José, Gwen, and Ros. I thought I should probably invite Ethan Kavanagh, too, since he's living in Seattle and he's Kate's brother? Can you think of anyone I've missed?"

"Maybe John and Rhian? I doubt I'd be where I am today without him."

Anastasia nodded, adding their names to the list. "So that makes twenty-one."

By the time dinner was served, we'd organized all we could for the day. After dinner, I'd call Reverend Walsh and ask for a meeting with him. We'd worked out sunset would occur at 7:30 pm on the tenth, so we wanted to be at the reception by then so we could enjoy watching the sunset. Working backward, Ana was thinking of a 5:00 pm ceremony, followed by an hour or so of photos before joining our guests at the reception around quarter past seven. I really hoped Canlis would be available for us. If not, The Mile High Club was a given as we'd use the owner's suite. Smiling as I gazed across at my breathtaking fiancée, it was hard to believe in exactly four weeks' time I'd be eating my first meal with my _wife._

* * *

"Good morning Mr. Grey. Miss Steele. I have refreshments set up in your office, sir."

I placed my hand on the small of Ana's back, showing her through into my office where Andrea had breakfast muffins, tea and coffee waiting. One look at Ana's shriveled up nose, and I quickly removed the coffee pot before sitting beside her on the sofa, Andrea sitting opposite us with a notepad and pencil.

"Andrea – the next four weeks are going to be very busy. I need you to start by getting yourself a new assistant. Two if that's what you need. Perhaps promote from within, so you have people who already know the ropes? Delegate as much work as you need to them because I want your priorities to be helping Ana with a special project and assisting me to get through as much work as possible in the next month as I will be away from GEH for four weeks from Friday the ninth of September."

Ana's eyes flew to mine, and I laughed. "You didn't think I'd forgo a honeymoon, did you?!"

Andrea's eyes darted to Ana's ring finger, bulging when she spotted the ring before she pulled herself together and efficiently jotted down the dates.

"Anastasia and I are getting married on Saturday the tenth," I confirmed proudly. "We are not announcing our engagement until Monday the fifth at my parents' Labor Day party."

Ana took over, explaining how we wanted to keep the wedding preparations a secret, and diplomatically explaining the need to have almost everything locked in before Labor Day to minimize well-meant interference. By the end of the meeting, Andrea had a to-do list a mile long, but rather than perturbed she looked excited.

"I'll call Canlis as a priority this morning," she chirped happily to Ana, "and I'll send out save the dates for your 'birthday' to all those on your list. I'll block out Wednesday after work for your meeting with Reverend Walsh at Escala, and once we know whether it's Canlis or Mile High for the reception, I'll book you and Mr. Grey for a meeting with the Executive Chef to discuss your requirements."

The three of us stood, Andrea surprising me by hugging Ana.

"I so honored you trust me to help you with this," she gushed, before breezing out of my office a little embarrassed, no doubt to start in on her list.

"So, a four-week honeymoon?" Ana asked, those bottomless blue eyes staring up at me. "Where are you thinking?"

"Never you mind; organizing that is a groom's prerogative!"

"I didn't read that in any of the wedding mags…"

"You're obviously not reading the right ones," I replied with an imperious tone, tempering it with a smile. "Let me take care of that part, baby? I'd really like to surprise you."

"Ok," Ana whispered, wrapping her arms around my neck and bringing her lips to mine. All too soon she pulled her lips away. She frowned as she removed her engagement ring from her finger and reluctantly handed it back to me. "I need to go to work, now Mr. Grey. Can you keep this safe until Labor Day?"

"I will," I promised, putting it into my pocket. I'd put it in the safe here at GEH once Ana left.

"That's meant to be I do," she said with a coy smile, giving me a final kiss before stepping out into reception where Prescott was waiting to escort her to work.

* * *

"So, you want to marry in a month?!" Reverend Walsh's eyebrows were raised as he sat drinking tea and eating scones with cream and jam at our dining table late Wednesday afternoon. "Is there a need for such haste?"

Ana blushed, and I explained that Ana _was_ expecting, but that wasn't the reason for our short engagement.

"Reverend Walsh, I love my mother, but we don't always see things the same way, and nothing would give her greater pleasure than spending big with someone else's money. Christian and I want a small, intimate wedding with our immediate family and friends. By holding our wedding only days after we announce our engagement, it will avoid a lot of unnecessary conflict and will also diminish the chances of the media discovering our intentions. We want our day to be about us and the promise we're making to each other, not an excuse for excessive consumption or a media spectacle."

I could see the gruff pastor soften as he heard Ana's genuine, heartfelt words.

"So, you're looking at the tenth of September at 5:00 pm? At the Capitol Hill church?"

"If it's available that would be perfect! We did consider your parish in Bellevue, but the size of the Capitol Hill church was more suited to such a small wedding. We're thinking less than twenty guests," Ana explained sweetly.

"Yes – for a wedding that small the Capitol Hill church would be more suitable," Reverend Walsh agreed.

"Then you can do it?" Ana asked, breathlessly. I'd only asked for Reverend Walsh to officiate as a way to appease my mother. I'd happily have an Elvis impersonator marry us if it got the job done. But Ana loved the idea and was very hopeful it could be managed.

He nodded. "I'll need to check the availability, but late afternoon weddings are less popular nowadays. You should be fine. We usually only officiate at weddings in our own parish, but I'll speak with Reverend Pugh. Given I've been the Grey family pastor for thirty years, I am sure he'll understand. "

"Thirty years?" Ana asked. "That's a long time."

Reverend Walsh chuckled.

"I baptized this one, and his brother and sister. Elliot was just a baby and peed all over me!"

I snort-laughed. "Feel free to work that into the ceremony somewhere if you can, Reverend," I replied with a smirk.

"I'll see what I can do, Christian" he joked. "So, another little Grey on the way? Maybe I'll get a chance to baptize that one, too?"

Ana's eyes lit up, and I knew Reverend Walsh had just secured himself a second gig. Ana was crazy about continuing family traditions and having relatively few of her own she was very open to adopting those of the Grey family. Having blip baptized by the same Reverend who had baptized Elliot, Mia and me appealed to her.

Tea and scones finished, and Reverend Walsh locked in for our big day, Ana and I showed him to the elevator.

"You understand my family has no idea about the pregnancy, our engagement or the wedding? Please don't let anything slip to them," I implored.

"Christian – a priest is not just a man of faith; he's also a confidant to many. This is a happy secret I'm delighted to keep! We'll meet again in a few weeks to discuss vows and the practicalities of your ceremony, but rest assured your secret is safe with me."


	49. Chapter 49

We'd been planning, now, for two weeks and I didn't want to jinx it, but everything was going along brilliantly! The private room Christian suggested at Canlis was available on the tenth, so Andrea had booked it. We'd met with the Executive Chef who was over the moon when he realized he'd be catering for the illustrious Christian Grey's wedding reception. He'd promptly signed an NDA, and sworn not to tell a soul, so the event was booked in ostensibly as my birthday party.

Reverend Walsh had confirmed the church was good to go, and Gail and I had an initial meeting with Neil from Brilliant Bayside Blooms and discussed ideas which would be finalized once I'd settled on a color scheme for the event. With other small elements coming in to place I only had three things to decide. A color scheme, a cake, and my dress. Appreciating the dress would set the tone for the flowers and color scheme I resolved to tackle that first.

After looking online, I decided on one particular boutique. Run by a designer, she showcased her own gowns as well as those of other high-end designers. From my investigations online, there were several I wanted to try on, so I was confident I could find something there. Andrea had arranged an appointment for Friday night after closing hours, so tonight she, Gail and I would be going to choose my gown.

"Are you excited about tonight?" Gail asked me over breakfast. In the past, she would never have dared talk so casually in front of Christian, but we'd all relaxed a little over the past few weeks.

"I guess," I said, putting on a smile I didn't really feel.

Christian looked up from his egg-white omelet. "Anastasia? What is it? Is this about your mother again?"

I shrugged, but the tears in my eyes said it all. When I'd rung my mother to ask her and Bob to come to Seattle for a week, my treat, she'd said no. So then I'd offered to fly them in just for my birthday weekend, but she'd again begged off. I didn't want to tell her about the baby, engagement, and wedding over the phone, so in the end, I'd said I understood, hung up, then dissolved into a mass of tears. Christian had consoled me, tucked me into bed, and then disappeared into his study for fifteen minutes. When he returned, he told me through gritted teeth that Bob and my mother would arrive the Sunday before Labor Day and would be in Seattle a week staying in a Corner Suite at the Fairmont Olympic. No matter how much I pressed, he'd refused to tell me what he'd said to my mother to convince her to come, or why she was staying at a hotel and not with us.

"I guess I always thought when I chose my wedding dress my Mom and best friend would be there," I said, erupting into tears. Christian stood up and held me close as I wept into his shirt. "I know Mom can't be, but I wish Kate could be."

"Then take her."

I pulled my head from where it was nestled into Christian's shoulder.

"Really?" I asked, crying with happiness, now.

"Of course!" he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, but in truth it probably was. "She already knows about the baby and hasn't said a word to anyone. This is your big day. If you want Kate there when you choose your dress, then tell her."

"I love you, Christian Grey," I said flinging my arms around his neck.

"I know. I'm a lucky bastard," he replied smugly before kissing me.

* * *

"Kate, it's Ana. I need to see you for lunch."

"Ana banana, I can't. I'm nose down bum-up working to a deadline."

My heart sank. I couldn't do this over the phone.

"Please, Kate. I _need_ you." My voice was cracking, and I felt myself getting teary.

"What is it? Are you ok? Is the baby ok?"

"Yes. Everything's alright," I replied, remembering life wasn't just about me – other people had things going on, too. But I was disappointed.

"My deadline is 4:00 pm. How about I meet you at SIP and then we can go back to yours, and we'll hang out?" Kate offered.

I grinned, suddenly happy again. I could work with that.

"Deal, but I'll pick you up. 4:30 work for you?"

"Perfect! Are you sure everything's ok, Ana? You sound upset."

"I'm fine," I replied. And I was, now. "It's just these damn hormones!"

I picked up the phone, calling Andrea to confirm I'd collect her from Grey House at 5:45 and letting her know that Kate would be coming with us. I'd already confirmed with Gail I'd meet her at the bridal boutique at six, and she had heard enough of the conversation over breakfast to know to expect Kate. The next five hours seemed to go for about a week, but finally, it was 4:00 pm and I shut down my computer.

"Good timing! Coming for drinks today?" Casey asked as she wandered up to my desk.

"Afraid not. I'm catching up with my best friend. You got plans for the weekend?"

Casey blushed, looking at her hands.

"Um yeah. After drinks tonight, Mark is taking me out for dinner."

"Mark from here?" I gasped. I'd been so involved in my wedding planning and the Boyce Fox manuscript that I hadn't been keeping up with office gossip. "I didn't realize you were speaking again?!"

After Mark had shared the information Casey had thoughtlessly revealed to him to the press, Casey had torn him a new one, and the two hadn't spoken unless it was strictly necessary.

"He kept apologizing and bringing me coffee," Casey explained, blushing more. "He finally told me on Wednesday that's he liked me for ages, and he's sorry he ruined things between us. He asked for the chance to make it up to me, so I agreed to dinner."

"He _is_ a nice guy," I said giving her a saucy smile.

"I guess I'll find out tonight," Casey replied with a grin.

Saying my goodbyes to the rest of the team, I met up with Sawyer, and the two of us rode the elevator to the basement.

"We'll be picking up Kate at The Seattle Times," I explained as I climbed into the back seat.

"Where to after that?"

I thought about it. The weather was fine, and there were a few hours of daylight left. Then the perfect place came to mind, and I gave Sawyer directions to the beach Jose had taken me to after the Leila incident.

Kate was waiting on the front steps when we pulled up, so she was soon in the back seat beside me.

"What gives, Ana? In all the time I've known you, you've never said you 'need me.'" Kate was like a dog with a bone and would not give this up.

"I _do_ have something I want to discuss with you," I admitted. "I thought we could go for a walk along the beach?"

"Ana… You're scaring me. Is everything alright?!"

"It is," I said squeezing her hand gently. "Full disclosure in five minutes, I promise!"

Kate was out of the car almost before it stopped, dragging me in her wake. Sawyer followed us at a discreet distance as Kate and I walked out onto the deserted beach.

"Spill!" she growled.

"I wanted to ask you two things. Will you be my maid of honor, and will you come wedding dress shopping with me tonight?"

As I had anticipated, Kate squealed in shock and excitement. I quickly spun to assure Sawyer all was well, but he was laughing. He knew about the upcoming nuptials and must have predicted Kate's reaction.

"What? When? I want to know _everything!"_

So I explained it all – from the reason Christian went to New York, the house and his proposal, our decision to have a super short engagement and our rationale for telling everyone on Labor Day then marrying on my birthday.

"What do you think Christian said to make your mother come?" she asked after she'd calmed down and I'd told her about my breakdown this morning and why I was telling her now. Kate was no fan of my mother, so I didn't have to explain my disappointment.

"I honestly don't know."

"I think you've made the right decision. Although I can't believe you didn't tell me the second you were engaged! I'm going to kill Elliot!"

I giggled. "Once Christian explained Elliot knew about him planning to propose and the house, we thought it was fair you each knew half of our secrets. But this morning I just knew I needed you with me. Maybe you can look for a maid of honor dress tonight, too?"

"That's a great idea." A funny look crossed Kate's face. "Do you know if Christian's mentioned to Elliot that you were going to tell me?"

"No idea."

"Call him now and find out. If he hasn't, tell him not to."

"What are you up to, Kate?" I asked, trying to sound stern.

"Just a bit of payback," she said with a devious giggle. I really didn't want to know; although I did feel sorry for poor Elliot!

Andrea was excited when we arrived at Grey House, reporting that she'd left Christian busy at his desk with an order for Thai food scheduled to arrive at seven. While I usually loved the stuff, I couldn't handle anything spicy at the moment, so with me otherwise occupied for the evening, it was a good chance for him to indulge. We pulled up at the boutique and were quickly ushered inside. I was relieved to see heavy drapes had been pulled across the front windows, so we were concealed from curious eyes.

Andrea stepped forward, proffering the required NDA to the owner and designer Stephanie and her assistant Madeline. Moments later Gail arrived in the company of Prescott. A quick conversation ensued between Sawyer and Prescott, then the former left.

"Wedding dress selection is no place for a man," Gail said. "I'm sure Mr. Grey would prefer Belinda accompanied us this evening."

She was right. Christian would have blown a gasket if he'd discovered Sawyer had been present when I was potentially not fully clothed.

"Thank you so much for coming," I said, giving Prescott a small smile.

"Delighted to be here, Miss Steele."

Once the introductions were done, Andrea explained who I was, and more to the point who I was marrying. She then went on to outline the timeframe and asked Stephanie whether she could work with a two-week deadline.

"Most of the gowns that should be fine. Miss Steele – you look close to a standard size so provided I can get the gown in your size, alternations won't take long. Let's start by getting some measurements, and you can give me an idea of what you're after."

Stephanie whisked me off to a change room to strip down and get measured while Madeline was serving champagne to Gail, Andrea, and Kate. Even Prescott was getting into the swing of things, accepting sparkling water.

"So, you're halfway between a four and a six. Since you're marrying in a fortnight, I'd recommend getting a six and we'll take it in rather than crash dieting."

"I won't be dieting. I'm pregnant and Christian is very particular about what I eat," I explained quietly.

"How far along are you?" Stephanie asked.

"Eleven weeks now. We'll be marrying when I'm thirteen weeks."

"You should be fine, although a lot of women pop around that time. We'll do the final fitting a day or two before, so the dress fits perfectly. Now – what do you have in mind?"

"I like lace, I don't want strapless, and I want something classic rather than sexy. We're having a very small, intimate wedding, so anything too large or showy will look silly. I prefer clean lines and Christian has said he'd like me in white although I'm sure he'd be fine with ivory."

"Alright. I have a few ideas. I'll bring in half a dozen for you to try on. Even if you hate them, do me a favor and slip them on. Sometimes the right dress will take you by surprise. I'll show you to the size six rack – choose as many as you wish to try on. If nothing there appeals, we can look at the other racks and I can bring in the correct size if necessary."

Back out in the showroom, Gail, Andrea, and Kate were chatting up a storm, and even Prescott looked more relaxed than usual. Dressed in a white waffle weave gown over my bra and panties, I went across to the size six rack, immediately finding three of the dresses I'd wanted to try. A quick word with Madeline and she located my other two frontrunners in a size four and eight respectively; then Kate selected another two she wanted to see me in. By the time I was back out in the main showroom, there were more than a dozen dresses on a rack waiting for me.

Stephanie followed me into the change room, and I slipped on my frontrunner. And the moment it was on, I knew it wasn't it.

Kate, Gail, and Andrea confirmed it as soon as they saw me. I tried on the next and the next and still, nothing seemed right. Giving up on my selections, for the time being, I started in on Stephanie's choices. While they were all gorgeous dresses, nothing seemed quite right. Returning to my selections, I slipped them on one by one. They all looked great, but nothing spoke to me. I was close to despair when Prescott placed a gown on the rack.

"I thought this was pretty, Miss Steele?" she said with an almost apologetic shrug.

It was an odd dress. Almost brutally simple in a plain, unadorned A-line, the feature was the accompanying lace coat. It didn't look like much on the hanger, but I had nothing to lose. I went back to the enormous changing room and with Stephanie's help slipped the dress on, then donning the white and silver lace coat.

"It's my dress!" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth as tears welled in my eyes.

Stephanie nodded in agreement. "Let's go out and show your friends," she said enthusiastically. For the umpteenth time, I followed Stephanie out to stand and present myself.

"Oh, Ana!" Gail said, putting down her glass of champagne and digging in her handbag for a tissue. "You look beautiful!"

"She's right, Steele. I think that's the one…" Kate added.

"What do _you_ think?" Andrea asked looking at me cautiously.

I nodded and smiled as I got teary again. "This is my dress!"

There were tears and squeals of excitement. Stephanie went straight to work bringing out a range of veils for me to try, and we decided on a very sheer veil.

"Who is doing your hair on the day?" Stephanie asked. "I'll need to know how you're wearing it."

My eyes shot to Gail's in horror. Somehow, in all this, we'd forgotten hair and makeup!

"I don't know," I wailed.

Andrea waved her hand, dismissing my concerns.

"I'll call Franco from Esclava. He's a genius!"

" _No one_ from Esclava," I snapped.

"He's no longer there," Andrea assured me. "He left when Stan Silvers took over two of the salons."

"What?" I asked.

"I thought you knew? Christian sold his share in Esclava to Stan Silvers?" I nodded. I'd been there when Christian had returned Elena's call straight after she'd found out. _Still_ a conversation I liked to recollect! "Well, Silvers agreed to dissolve the partnership but demanded two of the three salons as recompense. Franco was the premier stylist at all three venues, but he left and is going out on his own. I am sure I could secure him if you're interested?"

"Did he leave on friendly terms?" I asked Andrea innocently.

"No. Christine from HR was there having her hair done and heard the whole thing. Elena Lincoln was _furious_ and threatened to ruin him!"

"Call him and see if he'd like to do my hair," I said sweetly, giving Gail a naughty look that she returned with a smirk.


	50. Chapter 50

I sat in my office at GEH completing more paperwork. It was Thursday night, and today I'd told Ros I was taking Ana away on a four-week holiday in just over a week's time. To say she was displeased was the understatement of the century. I knew she'd understand once she knew the truth, so I was relieved to hear she'd accepted my mother's invitation to her Labor Day party on Monday.

I'd spoken to Mom last night, and let her know Ana's parents would also be attending. Mom adored Ana, so was looking forward to meeting her family. Kate had already added José to the list of invitees. He'd be staying with her and Elliot, so she'd be bringing him to Bellevue early. Traditionally the family gathered an hour or so before the first guests arrived, so Ana and I planned to make our announcement then. We'd hand out the wedding invites and explain the need for secrecy. When everyone else gathered, we'd make the engagement and pregnancy announcement, but we wouldn't let on the wedding would be any time soon. I'd have a quiet word with Ros and John after the second announcement, and slip them their wedding invites then.

Ana was at home tonight with Gail, Andrea, and Kate. Franco, formerly of Esclava, and his assistant were doing a trial run for Ana and Kate's hair and makeup. My mother had been seeing Franco for years, and after a few leading questions yesterday she'd quietly confided in me that she'd heard he'd left Esclava and was going out on his own. As her stylist, she intended to follow him. So I'd felt no guilt engaging his team for all next Saturday. They could attend Mom, my grandmother, and Mia at Bellevue before going across to Escala to see to Carla, Gail, Kate, and Ana.

It was hard to believe in nine days Ana would be Mrs. Anastasia Grey. Ana was closemouthed about her gown, although she did let me know she'd chosen a silver theme with a navy accent. Elliot and I would wear tuxedos, and beyond that Ana had left the details to me, although she had asked me to run my selections past Gail and Andrea. Elliot and I already had custom-made tuxes, so we'd met at my tailor's yesterday, and under Gail and Andrea's approving eye, had made the relevant accessory selections. My father and grandfather also had tuxedos they would wear, but Ana told me Ray didn't. She didn't want him to feel out of place, so she'd arranged a fitting, and he drove up for it. We'd had dinner afterward, which is when Ana told Ray about the plans so far and asked him to give her away.

The only hitch had been our vow selection. We'd met with Reverend Walsh to discuss our thoughts. Ana had initially thought we'd write our own but came around to my idea of using the traditional wedding vows. I was elated – until the stumbling block about _obey._

Ana had outright refused to promise to _obey_ me, and I couldn't help but feel it as a rejection. Several tense hours had passed after we first discussed it, me barricading myself in my study like a petulant child. In the end, I'd called Elliot who had told me in no uncertain terms I was an idiot. It was a sentiment politely echoed by Reverend Walsh when I called the next day, and he confirmed he couldn't remember a single ceremony in the last thirty years where a bride had promised to obey. A night of honest discussion, followed by several rounds of very hot lovemaking, and Ana and I agreed to use the modern traditional vows that didn't include the word obey.

The only other snag in our present happiness was Jack Hyde. He'd failed to appear at his hearing in New York, so a warrant had been issued for his arrest. While my security team was still doing their best to find him, in the grand scheme of things he was no one else's priority. If he was careful, he could go years without being picked up. I hated the idea of him out there and on the loose, but he had bigger issues than Ana to contemplate. We'd finally got a second assistant to tell her story, and that had led to a third and then a fourth. When Jack was caught, and he would be, we had enough to make sure he was put away for a long time. I hadn't yet told Ana that Jack didn't made his hearing; we'd barely had ten minutes alone together each night before Ana fell comatose into bed fast asleep. But I'd tell her tomorrow.

My phone rang, and I fished it from my pants.

 _Night went well. Andrea and Kate have gone home, and Gail has returned to her accommodations. I am all alone in our bed, and I WANT YOU. A xx_

My cock was straining against my pants, and I wanted to get home as soon as possible.

 _I'll be home soon. Wait for me, baby! C xx_

I barked for Taylor, and we were on our way to the Grey House basement in minutes. I was impatient the whole ride. When we arrived, I had my tie off and was shrugging off my jacket before I was halfway across the great room. I opened our bedroom door, a devilish grin on my face, only to find my beloved fast asleep. Her porcelain skin was even fairer than usual, and I could see dark smudges of exhaustion beneath her eyes.

I groaned softly, keeping my frustration to myself. I wanted my baby girl so badly, but she was wrecked. Between editing a novel, planning a wedding and growing a baby, something had to give - my carnal desires needed to take a back seat!

Making sure Ana was comfortable, I walked into our bathroom, shucking off my clothes and stepping into the shower. My cock was still hard in expectation, so I decided to take things into my own hands. Underneath the warm spray, I closed my eyes, remembering when Ana first sucked me off. She'd been tentative about it, but it had been so damned good.

I took my cock in my hand, gently fisting it up and down as my mind replayed Ana on her knees, my dick halfway down her throat. I recalled her looking up at me; those guileless blue eyes regarding me with such trust as she fucked me with her mouth. I wanted to make the recollection last, but Ana, even in memory, was so fucking hot! All too soon, I was blowing my seed onto the glass shower screen, wishing I was instead releasing into my woman's hot wet mouth or tight little cleft.

Embarrassed at my weakness, I toweled off and climbed into bed beside my beloved. Ana didn't wake, but she cuddled back against me as I curled into her from behind.

"I love you, Mrs. Grey to be," I whispered into her hair. I saw Ana smile in her sleep, and that was enough. I quickly fell to sleep, too.

* * *

I woke to see Ana watching me.

"Morning, baby. You're up early?"

"I was too excited to sleep!"

"The scan?" Today was Friday, and Dr. Greene and a sonographer were visiting Escala tonight.

"I can't wait to see our little blip again!"

"Me too. Only four days till we tell everyone! I'll warn you now - Mom is going to be ecstatic. She's made no secret of the fact she wants Elliot and me to get on with the job of providing her some grandchildren!"

"I wonder how _my_ mother will react?" Ana mused. I clenched my teeth, and of course, Anastasia noticed. "You haven't already told her, have you? Is that why she's coming?"

"No baby, I wouldn't do that to you."

"Then how _did_ you get her here?"

I kept my mouth closed. I didn't want to have to tell Ana.

"Please, Christian. Full disclosure, remember?"

I growled. She had me now. I hated having to explain myself to anyone.

"Carla said she really did want to come, but claimed she didn't want to risk embarrassing you by my family and the paparazzi seeing her in the sort of clothes she could afford, so I promised her a shopping session with Caroline Acton as soon as she arrives on Sunday."

"So, you basically paid her off with designer clothing? Unbelievable!" Ana said, sounding horrified.

I shrugged. "You wanted her here, so here she'll be." I wasn't sure who she was angry at.

"Why is she staying at The Fairmont instead of with us?" Ana's good mood was long gone, so I might as well tell her everything.

"That's my fault. I was so disappointed in her, I didn't think I could handle her staying in our space, so I offered her a suite at the Fairmont. To be honest, I think she preferred it that way."

I could see Ana process everything I'd said.

"Thank you, Christian," Ana said, crawling closer to me in our bed and wrapping her arms around me. "I love my mother, but you're right, it will be better if she stays somewhere else."

I felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from my shoulders.

"I did the right thing?"

"I think so. This is meant to be our happy time. If Mom stays here, she'll make it about her. I don't want her bringing us down."

* * *

"Let's go see our baby, Miss Steele," I said taking Ana's hand in mine in the back of the SUV. It was Friday night, and we were both in the mood to celebrate. Ana had handed her first edit of Boyce Fox' book across to Cheryl which was a relief. I'd also concluded a major deal, so both of us would have a light load until our wedding. Initially, Ana had intended to work through to the day before, but common sense, and Gail, had prevailed and Tuesday Ana would work a half day then would not return until after our honeymoon.

Neither Ana or I wanted bachelor or bachelorette parties, and I knew my mother well enough to know once she'd heard our big news, she'd insist on hosting dinner at Bellevue the night before the wedding, so that should give Ana some time to relax before the big day.

In the great room, Gail had some refreshments ready. Ana went to change into a skirt and top, and I unlocked the guest room with the sonogram equipment for Dr. Greene's arrival. Before Ana came back, I went into my office, fetching a small teddy bear out of a bag I'd hidden there. I'd seen it in the window of a gift store the other day and sent Taylor back to buy it. I wanted to give our baby its first toy and today seemed like the perfect time.

"Dr. Greene and Dr. Atkins are here," Taylor announced, showing the two women into the great room.

"Dr. Greene? I thought a sonographer was coming with you today?" I asked abruptly. I was put out, as I recognized Lorraine Atkins as one of my mother's professional associates.

"Dr. Atkins is an obstetrician and gynecologist who has sub-specialized in obstetric and gynecological ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis. Usually, a sonographer would do the first scan, and Dr. Atkins would be called in if there were any concerns. I thought you'd want the most experienced skilled person performing the ultrasound, so I asked her in place of a sonographer," Dr. Greene replied frostily.

"Of course we do," Ana said, coming in and warmly welcoming the two doctors, putting everyone at ease. "That was very thoughtful of you, Dr. Greene. Thank you both so much for taking time to come to us this evening. Christian and I are very excited to see our baby again."

As she spoke Ana rubbed my forearm, and I could feel the tension leaving me.

"Yes, thank you. It's nice to see you again Dr. Atkins. My mother speaks very highly of you."

"Grace is too kind. I'm looking forward to her party on Monday," Lorraine replied.

"Well if you could keep this under wraps until then, I'd appreciate it. Mom doesn't know we're expecting," I explained. "We plan to tell our families before the guests arrive on Monday."

"My lips are sealed," she replied with a smile. "Now Anastasia, can you get on the examination table for me?"

Ana complied, shimming her skirt around her thighs and lifting her blouse to expose her midriff. Dr. Greene was setting up the equipment, while Dr. Atkins read over her file.

"Nice full bladder?" she asked Ana.

"Yes."

"Then let's begin!" She smeared gel on Ana's still flat stomach, pushing down quite hard just above her pubic bone. After a few tries back and forth she fiddled with the dials and suddenly we heard a heartbeat.

I grinned from ear to ear, gripping Ana's hand in my own. Lorraine looked at a few areas before starting to take measurements. She explained what she was doing at each stage, and what she was looking for while Dr. Greene annotated the measurements into Ana's file. Dr. Atkins confirmed the placenta was in a good spot, high and clear of the cervix, and that measurements corresponded with the estimated gestational age.

"Will you be taking blood for nuchal translucency testing?"

"What's that?" I asked, instantly alert. Dr. Atkins saw my alarm and reassured me, explaining it was a standard screening test for some of the more common genetic conditions. "There's nothing on the scan to concern me, but if you wished baby to be screened, it would be a simple blood test for Ana."

Ana and I looked at each other, and she nodded.

"It's not going to change the way I feel about blip, but I'd like the test," she said.

"Then I can take your blood today. It's not an absolute, but it will give you an idea of the likelihood of some particular conditions," Dr. Greene replied.

A few more measurements, a large number of pictures, and we were done. Ana moved into the attached bathroom to clean herself up and then came back out for Dr. Greene to take the required blood for the screening test while Dr. Atkins and I waited in the great room.

"Try not to worry, Christian. Ana is in good health, and everything looked good on the scan. Relax and enjoy this exciting time."

"It's all the what ifs," I explained with uncharacteristic candor.

"Welcome to parenthood," Lorraine chuckled. "There's no faster way of learning how little control you really have than becoming a parent!"


	51. Chapter 51

I was so nervous! My mother and Bob would be arriving in an hour or so. Christian, being Christian, had sent the GEH jet for them, collecting them from Savannah and flying them directly to Seattle overnight.

"Did they sleep in _our_ bed?" I asked, slightly grossed out about the idea of my mother potentially joining the mile-high club in the same bed that Christian and I had made that milestone.

Christian smirked knowing the direction of my thoughts.

"No, baby. That part of the plane is strictly for us. The flight crew would have made them recliner beds in the _front_ of the plane. There was security present the whole time, so I doubt _that_ happened!"

We sat enjoying Mrs. Jones delectable breakfast. At my insistence, she and Taylor were joining us at Bellevue tomorrow as guests, but Gail had declared other than the Labor Day party, she would be working through until Christian and I left on our honeymoon. Today Christian and I settled on the final wedding guest list, there being a few last-minute additions. After all her help, Christian and I agreed Andrea deserved an invite. Reverend Walsh had dropped several not so subtle hints that he and Mrs. Walsh were usually invited to the wedding reception when he officiated at a wedding, so we obliged. It was still a small guest list by anyone's standards, and we were happy with that.

"Did you want to meet your mother at the plane? You could go shopping with her if you wish?"

I was too embarrassed to tell Christian, but I'd rung Caroline Acton yesterday and had a humiliatingly frank discussion with her. I'd explained my mother's penchant for spending other people's money, and occasional taste for clothing perhaps a little too young for her. To her credit, Caroline was a consummate professional, reassuring me this was _far_ from the first request she'd had of this nature, and that she would ensure my mother had appropriate outfits and did not take undue advantage of Christian's largesse. I'd also taken the opportunity to book her all morning for Wednesday. Between Mom needing a gown for the wedding, and anything I needed for our honeymoon, I figured it would be worth her while.

"No, I think it's best she shops alone. I'll call her once she's settled in the hotel."

Christian was sending Ryan to collect Mom and Bob from the airport and escort them to The Fairmont, then he'd attend my mother as she shopped, so I'd wait for word she'd returned to the hotel.

"I've booked Altura for tonight," Christian offered. "It's Nathan and Rebecca Lockwood's new restaurant in Capitol Hill." We could have eaten at home, but I knew what Christian was trying to do. If my mother wanted to imagine living the high life, then we'd give her a taste of that. "I thought they could come here first for pre-dinner drinks, and then we can take a limo to the restaurant?"

"Won't that attract attention?" I asked.

"I thought that was the point?"

* * *

"Anastasia! You should have told me Christian's home is so _elegant!"_ Mom gasped, air kissing my cheeks as she took in the great room at Escala. "This is even nicer than the hotel!"

"Welcome to _our_ home, Carla," Christian said, stressing the word our. "And thank you, we do enjoy it here."

Christian shook Bob's hand, showing him and Carla out to the balcony. The sun was just starting to set, and the view was breathtaking. Gail appeared with a tray of drinks. A Cosmopolitan for Mom, beer for Bob, a glass of Sancerre for Christian and a virgin Cosmopolitan for me. I had to give Gail credit – looking at my glass, you couldn't tell it was a non-alcoholic version of my mother's drink.

Bob and Christian were soon talking about baseball, so I used the opportunity to show Mom around.

"You have staff?" Mom hissed, as Mrs. Jones retreated to the kitchen.

"Mrs. Jones is our housekeeper. She lives in an apartment attached to this one. Then there's Taylor who is Christian's CPO, Sawyer and Prescott look after me, and you've met Ryan who is also part of the security team."

"Is so much security necessary?"

"Christian's a very wealthy man, Mom. Some people like to try and take advantage of that."

"Yes – you've certainly landed yourself quite a catch," she said conspiratorially. "You stick with him, and you'll be able to have anything you want. You'll never have to work again…"

"Mom – it's not like that. I love Christian for who he _is_ not what he _has_. And I love my job. I've just edited my first novel. It's for a new writer Boyce Fox. I think he's going to be huge."

"Yes, yes – keep your job for now, but once you're married your job will become keeping yourself looking good and making sure your husband's eye doesn't wander. A rich, handsome man like Christian will have women throwing themselves at him. You need to make sure you keep him happy at home, so he's less likely to stray. And don't make my mistake of having children too early – it's hard to keep a man interested when everything is saggy, and your time is taken up dealing with a baby," she advised.

I was too angry to even reply. My biological father had died within hours of my birth, and Ray hadn't looked at another woman the whole time he was married to my mother. Mom was the one whose eyes had wandered, and it had nothing to do with a lack of time to spend on herself. I led my mother back out onto the balcony in stony silence.

"I think it's time to go – shall I order the car around?" Christian said, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Yes," I said between gritted teeth, still seething about my mother's comments.

The limousine was too big for the underground garage, so we had to exit Escala at the ground floor and climb into the vehicle there. A sole paparazzi was hanging out the front of the building and was thrilled when we stopped to let him take a few photos.

"Mr. Grey, Miss Steele and…?"

"My mother and stepfather, Carla and Bob Adams," I quickly supplied, knowing my mother would love being named in the social pages.

"Off to anywhere exciting this evening?" he probed good-naturedly.

"Dinner at Altura," Christian replied before helping Taylor and Sawyer shepherd us into the limo.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, several journos were there apparently tipped off by the lone pap, exactly as Christian had no doubt anticipated. Mom complained about the press but was all smiles as she stepped out of the limousine and I could tell she loved every minute of it.

Dinner was delicious, and I was surprised when Nathan Lockwood came out to say hello and take a photo with us before promising us a special not on the menu dessert. The restaurant had only been open a few weeks, so I suppose Seattle's most elite businessman dining there was good publicity for them. Conversation flowed easily enough. Bob mostly spoke about sport and golf while Mom bored us with anecdotes about people from her Country Club that we didn't know. I was relieved that the service was quick because by 9:00 pm I'd had enough.

"Bob? Carla? I think we might call it a night," Christian said, correctly interpreting my mood. Christian had barely lifted his hand, and the check was there, and moments later we were again dodging the paparazzi and getting into the limo. We dropped Mom and Bob off at The Fairmont, making arrangements to collect them at 10:00 am tomorrow.

"How are you feeling?" Christian asked as I stripped off my dress and then took off my bra, relishing the privacy of our room once we arrived home.

"Embarrassed," I admitted. "Seeing Mom here, like this, has shown me another side to her personality. I'm embarrassed how little I know my own mother – and how little she knows me."

"Don't be embarrassed, baby. You grew up with Ray. How many times have you seen your mother in the last ten years?"

I hadn't thought about it in that way before, but Christian was right. It was a handful of times. Ray had paid for me to fly across for a week once a year in high school, and then a couple of times in college, but in many ways, Carla was a stranger to me.

"She was full of advice tonight about giving up my job and my priority being 'looking after myself to keep a man interested.' She has no interest in anything _I'm_ doing," I grumbled.

"Her loss," Christian said decisively. "She's your mother, and I know you love her, but at the end of the week she'll go back to her life, and we'll start ours together."

We climbed into bed, switching off the lights and cuddling despite the relatively early hour.

"This time next week you'll be Mrs. Grey, and we'll be on our honeymoon," Christian crooned into my ear, spooning me from behind.

"And that honeymoon will be _where_ again?" I asked leadingly.

"Never you mind, Miss Steele. You'll find out when we arrive!"

"You're no fun," I grumbled, pouting despite myself.

"Oh? Do you want fun? I'm sure I can find _something_ to amuse you," Christian growled, rolling me on to my back and kissing me passionately.

* * *

"Have you got the envelopes with photos of blip?" I asked nervously. We were due to leave any minute, and I was getting uptight.

"Yes. And the wedding invites. Relax – this is going to be the perfect day!"

Going for a more normal feel, Christian was driving to The Fairmont to collect Mom and Bob, with Taylor, Gail, Ryan and Prescott following in the car behind. We picked them up without an issue, then Christian took the floating bridge to Bellevue. You couldn't make out our new home from the bridge, but the way Christian silently squeezed my hand as I gazed off in that direction showed he knew what I was thinking.

Not very long after we were pulling up at Christian's parents' home. I saw my mother's eyes widen as they took in the grand residence that was Christian's childhood home. If only she knew about his first four years, I thought to myself bitterly.

Grace greeted us warmly when we arrived, and I was surprised to see Ray already there. I was nervous he might have felt out of place, but he was chatting amiably with Kate and Elliot, and with a lot more reserve to José who was also there. Ahh, yes. The photos. I'd all but forgotten about that, but it appeared my father had a longer memory and was less forgiving.

It wasn't until I was standing in my future in-laws home that I realized this would be the first time Ray would meet Bob. I knew Daddy was over Mom, so there was no concern from that aspect, but it still had to be awkward meeting your ex-wife's newest husband. Thankfully Mom seemed to appreciate that, and headed over to Ray, greeting him cordially and gracefully introducing Bob. Kate quickly steered the conversation around to the Mariners, and Bob, Ray, and Elliot were soon engaged in conversation.

Taylor and Gail had joined us in the living room, and I was embarrassed to see them each nursing a drink and keeping to themselves. I was wondering who to steer them towards to chat with when help arrived from an unexpected source. Mia came over to us, giving me a quick hug and a kiss before cornering Gail, immediately striking up a conversation about a dessert she had cooked sometime in the past when Mia had visited Christian at Escala. According to the youngest Grey, nothing she'd learned in Paris had come even close to rivaling Gail's pastry, and Mia wanted to know her secrets. Gail was typically self-deprecating but was nonetheless thrilled to have made an impression. She carefully outlined the technique to a spellbound Mia, while Taylor looked on, a beer in his hand and a very proud expression on his face.

Time was ticking, and we were waiting for Grace's parents Theodore and Adele Trevelyan to arrive before Christian made our big announcement. We'd discussed it in advance, and we'd decided Christian would do the talking, and I would stand beside him, revealing the ring at the appropriate time. I was listening to Mia and Gail, fingering the enormous diamond in my pocket, when my mother appeared at my side.

"Anastasia, dear, why don't you show me to the bathroom?" she asked sweetly, taking my elbow and steering me away from Gail, Taylor, and Mia.

"Sure, Mom. Excuse me," I murmured.

"Ray looks good," she said as I showed her across to the powder room. "He didn't want to bring a date?" She was fishing for information, and suddenly I felt protective of my Daddy. As far as I knew, he hadn't dated since Mom left him – but I wasn't going to let _her_ know that.

"He wanted today to be all about meeting Christian's family," I said vaguely, not answering the question she was really asking. I was saved from saying more by the arrival of Christian's grandparents. "Excuse me, Mom. Christian's grandparents are here – I should say hello."

Christian was looking for me, and his face lit up as I approached. I knew this was a big moment for him.

"Grandpa? Grandma? Can I introduce my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele? Baby? These are my mother's parents Adele and Theodore Trevelyan."

"So pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Trevelyan," I said politely.

"None of that, young lady," Mrs. Trevelyan said fondly, immediately pulling me into a tight hug. "Gracie's told us all about the changes in our Christian since he met you. You can call me Grandma Adele and him Grandpa Theo."

"Don't embarrass the young lady," Theo scolded, leaning in to kiss my cheek sweetly. "Gracie said she was a looker," he commented with a cheeky wink to Christian, "and she wasn't wrong!"

Christian gave an indulgent laugh. I could see at a single glance that he adored his grandparents and also why.

With half an hour until the first guests were expected, I saw Christian give the serving staff a nod, and suddenly they were moving around the room refreshing glasses. Carrick and Grace looked up in surprise, but Christian met their eyes, reassuring them with a nod. My mother returned from the bathroom, and Bob passed her a glass of champagne and then we were ready.

Christian took a glass of champagne and passed me the glass of sparking apple-cider he'd requested. Then he called everyone to attention.

"Mom and Dad? I am sorry to hijack your barbecue, but I have an announcement I just can't wait any longer to make!"


	52. Chapter 52

I pulled Ana closer wrapping an arm around her from behind. Our closest family and friends were looking at us, and I smiled.

"In the past when I thought about my future, I never saw myself settling down. I had an empire to build, and that didn't leave time for insignificant things like love. And then I met Anastasia. I've heard people say that when love comes knocking, it won't take no for an answer – and that's certainly the way it's been for me. Meeting this woman has made me see life in an entirely different way and brought me a joy I didn't know was possible. The last time most of us stood in this room was for my birthday, and at that time I was already progressing with my plans to ask Anastasia Steele to be my bride. Well a few weeks ago I asked Anastasia to marry me, and she said _yes!"_

I paused here as Anastasia shyly pulled her hand from her pocket, holding it up so everyone could see the rock perched on her ring finger. My mother started squealing, and the rest of our announcement came close to being derailed.

"Mom, _please!"_ I said, but with a grin. "I have more to say!"

"Sorry Christian, Ana!" she laughed, dabbing at her eyes. "I'm just so _happy_ for you!"

"Something else happened the night of my birthday… That night Anastasia made me the happiest man alive when she told me that in March next year, Mia will cease to be the youngest member of the Grey family. Ana and I are having a baby!"

There was stunned silence in the room, and then Grace just couldn't contain herself.

"I'm going to be a grandmother! Oh, Christian! That's just _wonderful_ darling! Can I raise a toast to the happy couple and their delightful news!"

Ana and I embraced as everyone toasted us. The reaction to our bombshell was overwhelmingly positive. Carla looked shocked but seemed to be ok with it; my grandparents were both grinning in delight, and Mia was actually jumping up and down on the spot. Even José smiled and seemed happy for us. I waited for the hubbub to subside, clearing my throat to continue.

"Ana and I have discussed it, and we want a very small, _private_ wedding - so we've already set a date. Your calendars should already be clear because Ana and I are getting married this Saturday on her birthday!"

Again there was stunned silence, finally interrupted by my sister.

" _What?_ You can't do that to us!" Mia wailed, turning to face Mom. "It takes _months_ to plan a wedding!"

Mom and Carla both looked dismayed, and Dad's face was inscrutable, giving no clues about his thoughts.

"Not the sort of wedding _we_ want, Mia," I said raising my eyebrows at her. "We've already made all the arrangements. We'll be announcing our engagement and the news about our baby later today once the guests have arrived, but we want to keep the news about our wedding quiet. No one will expect us to marry so soon, so we're hoping the press will not get wind of it. Only the people in this room and half a dozen others are invited, so we're relying on you, our closest family and friends, to keep this under wraps."

"Of course, Christian. We're all so happy for you! Come give me a hug you darling girl," Mom said, making a beeline for Ana. "I want to hear all about _everything!"_

The females of the party descended on Ana, admiring her engagement ring and firing off questions about the baby as well as the wedding plans. Ana was shyly handing out photos of blip and the wedding invites, answering Mom's volley of questions about her ante-natal care before moving onto details about the wedding.

"A baby? You could have fucking told me!" Elliot said, coming over and shaking my hand as my fiancée was all but dragged from my side by the females of our family. "Congrats, man. I guess now I know why you're buying the big house on the lake!"

"A big house?" Dad asked, coming over to shake my hand as well.

"Escala is no place to raise a child. I put the word out, and a triple block on the lake in Medina facing Seattle came up. It's got deep water access for The Grace and lots of room. I've always wanted a place like that, but as a bachelor, it seemed silly. As soon as I saw it, I knew that's where I wanted to raise a family with Anastasia. The house needs work, but we love it, and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for that location. That's where I proposed."

"So a wedding, a baby and a new house. You don't think things are moving a bit fast?" Dad cautioned, looking as though he wanted to say more but was holding himself back. "Was the pregnancy something you'd planned?"

"No, but I'm thrilled about it."

"Still you two have only been going out a few months. Having a baby together is a big commitment."

"I'm aware of that, Dad. I love Anastasia and want to spend the rest of my life with her. Finding out she was pregnant was one of the happiest moments of my life."

"Yes, I'm sure. But don't you think it strange she fell pregnant so soon after you started dating? I mean, I know contraception is not one-hundred percent effective, but…"

"Dad, that's enough," Elliot said, clapping our father on the back. "No matter _how_ it happened, they're in love, getting married and having a baby. Let's just be happy for them." My brother steered our father over to talk with Bob while I approached Ray and my grandfather.

"She looks happy," Ray commented, gesturing over to where Ana sat beside my grandmother on the sofa; Mom, Kate, Gail, Carla and Mia crowding around her. Normally, Ana shied away from being the center of attention, but today she was excitedly talking with the other ladies of the family. I liked to see it.

"Congratulations, son," Grandpa Theo said, shaking my hand warmly. "She's a beautiful young lady, and a real credit to you, Ray."

"Thanks, Theo," Ray replied. "I'm very proud of my little girl."

Not long afterward the first of Mom's guests arrived. She and Dad were occupied welcoming them, and the rest of us spilled outside. Kate, Elliot, Ana and I walked down to the boat ramp for a bit of privacy before joining the festivities.

"Your Mom took the news better than I thought she would?" Kate commented to Ana.

"I know. She was a bit shocked, at first, but I think once she thought about it she's almost relieved not to have the stress of planning a wedding."

"Unlike our mother. She's _itching_ to be involved somehow…" Elliot said.

"I thought she could host dinner here the night before? With less than a week to plan it, that will keep her occupied."

"You're _brilliant,"_ Elliot chuckled. "You know she'll go all out?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I asked, gesturing ironically to the hundred plus guests milling around the backyard for Mom's small, intimate Labor Day barbecue.

* * *

It had been foolish, I suppose, to hope Elena wouldn't show up. Mom's barbecue was one of the highlights of the Seattle social season, and now with a departed lead stylist and only one salon instead of three, Elena Lincoln needed to see and be seen by the rich and influential more than ever.

"Is that Mrs. Robinson?" Ana asked, thankfully sounding amused rather than angry.

I nodded, my eyes briefly meeting Elena's before spinning Ana in my arms and kissing her. Elena was standing near where Dad and Elliot were working the grills, assisted by Ray and José. The meat was ready, and the catering staff was carrying it across to the trestle tables along with salads ready for people to serve themselves. Mom was beckoning for the family to gather around. Usually, Dad would give the few words of welcome, but this year Mom seemed determined to do it. As we gathered, servers were going around handing out glasses of champagne, which also deviated from previous years.

"Would you like to tell everyone, or can I?" she asked Ana and me as we stood with my siblings and Kate.

Ana shrugged. She genuinely didn't seem to mind.

"You can, Mom," I said, knowing it would make her day. Dad joined us to stand with us, a tight expression on his face.

"I'll just announce the engagement. You can quietly tell people about the baby while you're mingling," my mother suggested diplomatically.

I nodded. I didn't give a shit what people thought, but Ana and her family might so with a nod I agreed.

"Attention please everyone!" Mom called out, the crowd obediently settling down and turning to listen to her words. "Thank you all for your presence today. We've been blessed with a lovely day for it! It's a pleasure to see so many of our closest family and friends here today to join us. As you know, family is very important to Carrick and me, so I'm delighted to be able to introduce some new family members to you today. Most of you already know my son Christian's delightful partner Ana, but today we're joined by her father Ray Steele and her mother and stepfather Carla and Bob Adams."

Mom gestured for Ana's family to step forward which they did.

"Now because we're all family and friends here, I know Christian and Ana won't mind me sharing some very special news with you. I introduced Ray, Carla, and Bob as family, because just before you all arrived this afternoon, Christian let us know that he would be making Carrick and I parents-in-law!"

Mom waited for the gasps and claps to die down before she continued tearily, "My little boy is getting _married!_ Can I ask you all to raise your glasses for our son Christian, and his gorgeous fiancée Anastasia!"

For the second time today, people toasted Ana and me. She was blushing, but turned to me, her left hand stroking my chest as her engagement ring glittered brilliantly in the sunlight. I looked up to see happy smiles surrounding us, and the shocked, icy gaze of Elena Lincoln. She hadn't been expecting this! I saw Ana notice Elena's reaction, too, before we were surrounded by well-wishers. We slowly made our way through them, accepting their congratulations and fond regards.

"Geez, Christian. A bit of warning would have been nice" Ros said, using a break to come over with Gwen. "I see you 'put a ring on it.'"

"And quite some ring!" Gwen chuckled. "Ros, I think I might wanna upgrade mine, now," she joked, looking at her own rather sizeable band of diamonds on her ring finger.

"I hate you, Grey," Ros sighed theatrically. "So, any more surprises for me?"

"Funny you mention that," I said lowering my voice and looking around to make sure I would not be overheard. Then I spilled the rest of our news. Ana discreetly passed Gwen the envelope with the wedding invite and accepted a hug.

"So, you've planned a whole wedding?" Gwen whispered, fishing for details. I plucked the final invitation from Ana's bag and left her with Ros and Gwen, walking over to John and Rhian.

"Congratulations, Christian," John beamed shaking my hand. "That's _quite_ some news!"

"It felt right, John. I know it's fast, but it's what we both want."

"Then I'm thrilled for you both."

"I'm sorry I haven't seen you for a while. I've had quite a few personal revelations recently about _you know who._ I'm still working it through in my own head, but I'll book some time when Ana and I are back from our honeymoon."

"Your _Honeymoon?"_

I handed Rhian the invite. "Keep it to yourselves. Only our very closest family and friends are invited. It's this Saturday if you can make it? I was already planning to propose when Ana found out she's pregnant. All is well, and we're twelve weeks along."

John gaped at me before collecting himself.

"We really _do_ have a lot to talk about. How do you feel about everything?" he asked, the therapist in him surfacing for just a moment.

"Over the fucking moon, John!" I replied, grinning like an idiot.

* * *

Sometime in the afternoon, Ana got tired, so I laid down on one of the sun lounges, Ana cuddling in my arms as she rested. Kate and Elliot lay beside us on another lounge in a similar position, and the four of us chatted. A little later, Mia wandered over with José, and the five of us were shooting the breeze as Ana dozed. Usually, I'd spend these events working any useful business contacts in attendance or standing off to one side checking my emails on my Blackberry, but today this was exactly where I wanted to be; with my siblings, friends and fiancée. The sun was setting over the water when Mom joined us.

"Christian? Gail and Taylor have returned to Escala. Carla and Bob were ready to leave, so Taylor was going to drop them at their hotel. Ray is about to leave, though."

I nodded, waking Ana so she could say goodbye to her father. We moved inside to where Ray was making his farewells.

"Thank you for coming, Daddy," Ana said, cuddling her father. "I hope it wasn't too difficult seeing Mom?"

"Thank you for inviting me, darling; I would not have missed it for anything! Seeing your mother was fine. Bob is a decent guy. So, Saturday? When and where do you want me?"

"Well, I'll be getting ready at Escala. Maybe you could come at midday and watch the game with Bob? It will be mostly us girls running around, so I am sure he'd appreciate the company."

"That sounds perfect, Annie. I'll see you at midday. I love you," he said, embracing his daughter. Pulling away, Ray looked at me.

"Thanks for including me today, Christian," he said, holding out his hand.

"You're welcome, Ray. You're a part of the family, now. You're _always_ welcome."

Kate, Elliot, and José were the next to leave. I'd noticed Elena hovering on the periphery, as though she wanted to speak with me, but I'd avoided her, and eventually it was only Mom, Dad, Mia, Ana, and me left. We came inside to the living room as the caterers worked outside, and in the kitchen, cleaning up.

"Mia? Can you give your mother and me a moment with Christian and Ana?" Dad requested.

"Sure! There's a hot bath waiting for me!" Mia sighed, a little under the weather thanks to my father's cocktails. "I'll see you guy during the week," she promised, retiring upstairs.

Mom sank into one of the chairs in Dad's study looking relaxed and happy, but my father was another issue. He gestured for us to take a seat before he poured himself a scotch and retreated behind his desk.

"Ana? Christian? You have been dating what - three months? And today you announce you're engaged, twelve weeks pregnant, marrying within the week, and buying an expensive family lakeside property. While I'm happy for you on a personal level, Anastasia, I am sure that you'll understand why I am going to insist you sign a prenup to protect Christian's interests. I am also going to insist you undergo an independent ultrasound to confirm you _are_ pregnant and if so then a paternity test to ensure Christian is the father of any fetus you are carrying."

Ana looked at my father in confusion. At first, it was as though she didn't understand what he was suggesting, and then tears welled in her eyes as she did.

"Dad?! Lorraine Atkins performed Ana's most recent ultrasound in front of Dr. Greene and myself. Mom has known them both professionally and personally for _years._ Surely their word would suffice? And if not, I assure you Ana and I are most certainly pregnant!"

"Ana is, perhaps, but how can you be certain the child is _yours?!_ By marrying Anastasia, before the child's paternity is decisively established, you put yourself in an unenviable position if it later turns out the child is not your biological son or daughter. You need to establish paternity as soon as possible, and in addition you need to insist on a prenup."

I looked as Ana sagged in the chair beside me. She didn't appear angry – just sad.

"Christian? Your father is right. You have so much, and I have so little. I don't mind signing whatever he wishes if it's to protect you. But I won't agree to anything that might hurt our blip."

"If you have nothing to hide then why not have the paternity test?" my father taunted, giving Anastasia a contemptuous look.

"Carrick! A CVS or amniocentesis puts the baby at risk! Anastasia is sensible not to want to do that if it's not medically necessary!" Mom implored.

"Or she wants to be married for six months before it's revealed the child is not Christian's…" Carrick sneered. "Even if the baby isn't his, once they've been married six months Ana's entitlements increase significantly were they to divorce. She could steal _millions_ from him _._ The whole timing seems far too convenient!"

I stood up, pushing my chair over in my haste.

"Last time I checked, _Carrick,_ I built my fortune on my own. I don't care what you think about the love Anastasia and I share, but you will not have the chance to insult her again! There will be no prenup and no paternity testing! Ana and I are in love. I am going to marry her this Saturday, and as of right now _you're not welcome to attend!"_

I helped Ana up from her seat. She looked so tired, I picked her up and carried her bridal style out of Dad's study, and the house, as she wept against my chest. As we were leaving, I heard my mother still in the study shouting at my father.

"Over thirty years, Carrick, and today is the _first time_ I've ever been ashamed and embarrassed to be your wife!"


	53. Chapter 53

I'd cried myself out by the time we reached Escala. I knew Christian was furious, but I was too tired to discuss it, so I suggested he pour a bath and we could bathe together before bed. As I leaned back against him in the warmth, I could feel the tension leaving Christian's body.

"I'm going to say this one and once only. No prenup and no paternity test!" he growled, his tone of voice declaring the matter closed.

"That's fine, Christian. But have a think about it. I don't mind a prenup, and I would actually _like_ a paternity test once blip is born. You and I know it's our baby, but I'd like the proof to show everyone so there will be no questions or suspicions about it going forward. Your father was an asshole, but he is only trying to protect you. Try not to be angry at him."

"You are the kindest and forgiving person I know, baby. But what Carrick said and did today was unforgivable. Not only did he call you at best a gold digger, and at worst someone openly trying to manipulate me into marriage by pretending to be pregnant, but he ruined our special day. If he had concerns, he should have been man enough to speak to me about them privately, not turning such a wonderful time for us to absolute shit."

"It wasn't ruined," I lied, not wanting Christian to tailspin into hate and blame. "It was a wonderful day with a slightly sour ending. And on the plus side, my mother behaved herself!"

Christian snorted. "There is _that_ I suppose… Anastasia? Please don't let this spoil our wedding. I love you, baby. I don't want anything to get in the way of our happiness right now."

"It won't," I said, making a promise I knew I couldn't keep. The truth was, I was devastated by Carrick's attitude and assertions. I had hoped to enjoy a caring relationship with Christian's parents, but I doubt I would ever be able to look at Carrick the same way again. But Carrick was still Christian's father, so for his sake, I would let this go.

"Come on, let's get you to bed. Tomorrow will no doubt be a media circus."

"What do you think the chances are the media will know about our engagement and the baby?"

"Inevitable," Christian sighed.

* * *

"Mr. Grey, Miss Steele? The press is so thick outside that I have been in touch with the Seattle PD who will be sending some officers to help keep control. I spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Adams on the drive back to The Fairmont yesterday, and instructed them to tell reception not to put through any phone calls to their suite, and only answer cell calls from known, trusted numbers."

Oh, God. I hadn't thought about the press ringing my mother, but now her name was out there, it was a distinct possibility. Taylor must have seen my dismay.

"Mrs. Adams seemed to understand how important it was for her not to make any comment."

"Thank you, Taylor. I'd better call her."

"What are your plans for the day?" Christian asked. It would be business as usual, for him, but I had hoped to spend the afternoon with my mother doing last minute wedding things.

"I'm working until midday. Then I was going to go out with Mom, but that might not be such a hot idea, now?"

"Can you invite her here? What do you have left to organize?"

"I need to make the final flower selections, and even though I've already ordered the cake, Trish at the cake shop said she we could do some tastings, to make Mom feel a part of things."

"That should be fine. Take Sawyer and Prescott with you. What's Bob doing?"

"One of the PGA Golf Playoffs was yesterday. It's being broadcast today on the sports channel, so he wants to stay in and watch that."

"Playing golf is boring enough. I don't think I could cope with watching it on television," Christian laughed. He seemed in a good mood this morning, but I knew a lot of it was an act. It had just gone 8:00 am, and I was about to go get ready for work when Christian's phone rang. I saw the caller ID before he picked up and it was from his parents' home.

"Grey," my handsome fiancée snapped. He listened for a moment, his body language relaxing. "Thank you, Mom. I appreciate you saying that." He listened a little more before his eyes met mine. "I'm not sure if she wants to talk. I'll ask her."

Muting the phone, Christian told me his mother was ringing to apologize for what happened and wanted to speak with me. I really didn't want to, but Grace had been nothing but kindness itself, so I held out my hand, taking Christian's cell.

"Grace," I greeted after unmuting the call.

"Ana. I am so sorry for Carrick's insulting remarks last night. I know he had his lawyer hat on, but it's no excuse. What he said was deeply offensive and hurtful, and I wanted you to know that no one else in the family shares those sentiments. I think you're the best thing to ever happen to Christian, and I can't wait to see you become his wife on Saturday. I know you have almost everything organized, but this is a very happy time for me, and I'd like to be involved in any little way I can. I've taken the week off work, so I'm available at your convenience. Also, I'd like to offer to host dinner for everyone at Bellevue on Friday night."

"Thank you, Grace. It's very kind of you to call," I said, my voice shaking and tears welling in my eyes. "You really didn't need to take the week off, but thank you. I'll have to speak with Christian about dinner on Friday. I'm not sure we'd be comfortable given Mr. Grey's feelings."

"Don't you worry about Carrick," my mother-in-law to be immediately placated me. "If he can't get on board and recognize this for the joyous event it is, he can spend the evening alone at his club. I've waited a long time to see Christian this happy. I'm not going to lie – I'd all but given up hope he'd ever find someone to love and share his life with. _Nothing,_ not even my husband, is going to get in the way of me sharing my boy's happiness."

"I don't want to be the cause of any trouble, Grace."

"You've done nothing wrong, Ana. Now has your Mom decided on what color she's wearing? I looked it up last night, and as mother of the bride, she gets the first choice, and then I will coordinate with her."

"Mom and I are going to Neiman Marcus tomorrow morning to select an outfit for her. I can call and let you know when we're done?"

"What about I come with you? I also need to select a gown, and if the three of us are there together, you can let me know if you're happy with what I choose."

"That's really not necessary. You can wear whatever you want."

"If that's what you'd prefer, dear," Grace said, but I could hear the disappointment in her voice. "I wouldn't want to intrude on a special time with your mother."

"Actually, Grace – if you can spare the time you'd be very welcome to join us," I offered. "It _does_ make sense to get it all sorted, and I've already booked Caroline Acton for the morning."

"Oh, I'd _love_ to!" Grace gushed. "Thank you!"

"One thing. I haven't and don't intend to tell anyone about Mr. Grey's comments. I'd like to forget the whole thing happened, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak about it in front of my family."

"I won't, darling. Believe me – the _last_ thing I want is to advertise that I'm married to Seattle's biggest ass!"

I giggled, handing the phone back to Christian before heading to our closet to choose something to wear. Since I knew the press would be out in force, I decided to wear pants, so there was no chance of anyone shooting up my skirt if they cornered me getting out of a car. I wanted to look professional, but still feminine, so I chose black pants and jacket with a ruffle front cream silk blouse. Teaming it with flats and a pair of sunglasses, I was happy I looked good. Christian came in while I was trying to choose which handbag to take today.

"Thank you for including Mom tomorrow. It means a lot to her."

"Your mother is wonderful," I said without a word of a lie. "I'm so touched she wants to be involved; of course she's welcome to come with Mom and me."

I cuddled my man for a moment before bringing up dinner on Friday night.

"Your Mom suggested she host a dinner at Bellevue the night before the wedding…"

Christian sighed. "I don't know how I feel about that. Leave it with me?"

"Yeah. I feel a bit the same way."

Christian left for work with Taylor, ringing through a moment later to say the press was pretty full on. Psyching myself up, Sawyer and Prescott escorted me to the garage and the waiting SUV. Even though I knew the windows were tinted, I still found myself flinching as the press were snapping pictures of the vehicle as we left. At SIP it was the same story. We actually had to drive around the block once before Seattle's finest could clear a path to the underground garage. Finally, inside the building, I climbed into the elevator to be whisked upstairs. The doors opened at my floor, and I walked through the workroom to my desk.

"Oh, no girl you don't!" Casey was charging across to my desk her eyes on fire. "First you're dating the boss, and now you're marrying him?! Is it true?"

I blushed as red as a fire engine, showing her the diamond dwarfing my ring finger.

"And _that_ is how you do it, gentlemen," she teased speaking to an imaginary audience before leaning forward and hugging me.

"Is it also true you're expecting?"

I nodded flushing even more. I'd checked before I left for work this morning and Christian was right – the news of our engagement and blip was being broadcast far and wide.

"My Mom and stepdad flew across for Labor Day, and they're staying till Sunday, so I'm taking the rest of the week off to show them around and maybe start some wedding planning."

"How exciting! I bet both your families are so happy! Have you set a date yet?"

While I trusted Casey, and I wanted to share my news, I knew it was best not to say anything.

"We have a few ideas… Just working out with the family what works," I said vaguely. "So… Dinner with Mark; I want details!"

"It was great!" Casey said, it her turn to blush. "He's hilarious and good company. After drinks, he took me to the Italian place on the corner. The service was slow, but I didn't mind. It was ten by the time we got out of there, and I wasn't ready to finish our evening, so we went to a bar and ended up kissing!"

"Ohh! And?!"

"And I haven't seen him since! He texted me Saturday morning to say thanks for a great night, and we flirted for a bit by text. He'd already planned to spend the long weekend camping with his brother and was going to be out of cell range."

I was going to say more when I saw Mark walking across the workroom toward us.

"Hey Mark," I greeted with a smile.

"Haha, Ana!" Casey said rolling her eyes, thinking I was joking.

"Morning Casey, Ana," he replied, his eyes skimming across me and landing on Casey's back. "Did you girls have good weekends?"

Casey turned and flushed.

"Mark? Haven't you heard?! It's all over the news! Ana got _engaged_ over the weekend to Christian Grey."

I colored again. This really was embarrassing.

"I didn't hear," Mark mumbled, stammering out a congratulations.

"Thanks, Mark," I replied. "I need to check something with Cheryl, I'll see you later." I wandered off to the editors' section, leaving Mark and Casey sitting side by side on the edge of my desk chatting.

The morning was soon over. It was mostly accepting stunned congratulations from my colleagues. The official word was I was taking the rest of the week off to spend with my family while they were in town, although Cheryl knew it would be five weeks before I was back at SIP.

I'd called Mom, and we'd arranged to meet at the florist. I was worried one or both of us might be followed, but as we pulled up at Brilliant Bayside Blooms, there was no sign of the press. The owner Neil whisked us both inside and to a back room where we would not be seen by passersby.

"Miss Steele! Lovely to see you again. And this lovely lady? Your sister?" Neil said with a devilish twinkle in his eye.

"Oh, you flatter me. I'm Carla, Anastasia's mother."

I stifled a giggle. I suppose Mom did look good for her mid-forties, but Neil was shameless in his flattery. We quickly got down to business, finalizing the boutonnieres for the men and corsages for the Moms. I felt a pang as I ordered boutonnieres for Ray, Bob, Theo, and Carrick, knowing there was every chance the final one would not be required.

Once we were done at the florist, Sawyer and Prescott drove us to the patisserie commissioned with making our cake. We'd gone for a simple two-tier. The top was fruitcake and as per tradition would be put aside for when we baptized blip. The lower cake was white and milk chocolate mud swirl. I'd spent an hour here a week and a half ago with Christian sampling all the flavors, and we agreed it was our favorite. Mom preferred the choc-mint cake but acknowledged the white and milk swirl was a better bet catering to more tastes.

Agreeable seemed to be the overall mood of the day. Everything I suggested, Mom immediately supported, and while it was pleasant not to argue, it felt as though she wasn't particularly invested in the wedding or any of the preparations for it. I suppose I only had myself to blame for that; all the decisions _had_ pretty much been made. Still, Mom's lack of opinions took the fun out of the small things left to organize, and it felt as though we were both going through the motions only because we were expected to.

By the time we'd finished at the cake shop, I was starving for some real food. I'd left it too late for a restaurant, and securing a café against paparazzi would be a nightmare, so we dropped Mom back to The Fairmont then I returned to Escala.

"I wasn't expecting you home so soon, Ana?" Gail commented as I walked through the door. "Did everything go ok with your Mom?"

All day the tension had been rising in me, and Gail spoke so sweetly that the floodgates within me burst.

"Mom doesn't care about any of the wedding preparations, and Christian's Dad thinks I fell pregnant to trap Christian into marriage! He even went so far as to say blip might not be Christian's child! After everyone left last night, Carrick demanded Christian have me sign a prenup, and he wanted me to have blip paternity tested!" I wailed, throwing myself into Gail's outstretched arms.


	54. Chapter 54

I had so much to do at work before Friday, but when Gail rang and told me about Ana's meltdown, I knew I needed to come home. I hurried my meeting along, getting out of there as soon as I could, the whole time worrying about my girl. The press was still camped out the front of Grey House, and Escala, and for some reason that exacerbated my already spectacularly shitty mood.

I should have insisted Ana stay home today. She was three months pregnant, for God's sake – she didn't need this kind of stress. But even as I thought it, I appreciated that this would have happened no matter where she'd been today. My father had disrespected my fiancée and mother of my child. No wonder she was upset!

"She's asleep," Gail said as I stomped into the great room, discarding my jacket and briefcase on the sofa. "She was much better after she had something to eat and a good cry."

"She shouldn't be crying! This is meant to be a _happy_ time," I growled.

"It's a challenging time for her, and then there are all the hormones, too. Sometimes a woman just needs to let go and cry."

I didn't want to wake Ana, so I plonked myself down at the breakfast bar.

"Is that mac and cheese I smell?"

"It is. Miss Steele requested it. I have some here if you'd like some?"

I nodded eagerly, so Gail plated a serve and passed it to me. I could see Gail looking at me as though she wanted to say something. That fact she was pausing made me realize I probably wasn't going to enjoy hearing it.

"Yes, Gail? I know you have something to say."

"Two things, actually. First, don't fall into the trap of thinking Ana will always be smiling. It sets a dangerous precedent for both of you. A happy marriage is not about making sure your partner is never sad, it's about supporting them and helping them work their way through things when they are."

I chewed slowly on my mac and cheese, turning Gail's words over in my head.

"I think that's the best marriage advice I've received so far, and I've been getting a lot recently. Thank you, Gail."

She nodded and continued. "Well, then I hope you like this one, too. Ana told me what happened with your father. Usually, I'd say let Ana fight her own battles, but this is something you need to resolve and before the wedding. I've grown to love that girl as if she were my own, and she doesn't deserve to have this hanging over her head on her wedding day."

Gail looked at me defiantly, all but challenging me to take exception to her words. The Christian Grey of six months ago would have fired her on the spot for daring to voice an opinion on _anything_ to do with my private life. Now I appreciated that she cared enough to say what needed to be said.

"I know," I replied, dragging my hand through my hair for the umpteenth time that day. "I just don't know how. If I call him I'm going to lose it."

* * *

"Hey baby, how are you feeling?"

I'd been lying on our bed watching as Ana napped. She'd rolled toward me, at some point, so I'd held her as she rested. But now she was awake.

"Good. I needed a sleep. Your baby is making me tired."

I pulled up Ana's sleep TShirt, resting my hand on her stomach. I don't know whether she'd noticed, but her usually flat stomach now had the tiniest little swell. On any other day I'd point it out as a cause for celebration, but given her capricious emotional state today, I thought now might not be the best time for the observation.

"Mrs. Jones has dinner ready," I said. "Are you hungry?"

"Ravenous," Ana confirmed. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Christian…?"

"Yes?"

"Will you take me to the playroom after dinner?" My breath hitched for a moment. After the day she'd had, Ana wanted to _play?_ "I just want to switch off and hand over control for a while," she explained.

"If that's what you want, baby," I said solemnly, my disobedient cock already hardening at the thought of the things I wanted to do with Ana. I couldn't articulate how much it meant that Ana was happy to place herself in my hands, trusting me to bring her the peace and relief she needed right now.

A little later I sat watching my beautiful woman over Mrs. Jones delectable roast lemon chicken and steamed vegetables. She was quiet but seemed settled.

"How was the afternoon with your mother?"

I'd asked Gail not to mention she'd called me. Ana was already stressed enough – she might worry the staff was keeping an eye on her. Gail had told me Ana was upset about her mother but hadn't gone into details.

"It was fine. We did flowers and then cake tasting. She didn't have a bad word to say about anything…"

"But?"

"But she just agreed with whatever I suggested. It wasn't that I wanted her to argue, but I wanted her to have an opinion!"

"She wasn't interested?"

"No, it wasn't that. It was more that she didn't try to make any suggestions. It's hard to explain…"

I mentally cursed Carla and her inability to be the mother Ana needed, however, I wasn't stupid enough to get in between a daughter and her relationship with her mother. Channeling Gail's advice from this afternoon, and Taylor's previous thoughts about marriage, I tentatively asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Ana gave me a beautiful smile. "No, but thank you for asking. I'll try and work it out with her."

She put her knife and fork together. While she'd only had a small serve for dinner, I was pleased to notice she'd eaten it all.

"Is Sir ready for me now?" she asked, her eyes dropping to my own empty plate.

"Be waiting for me in the playroom in ten minutes," I said, my blood pumping in excited anticipation.

* * *

I walked in, and my cock almost exploded at the sight of Ana kneeling on the floor by the door, her hair neatly plaited the way I liked it. She was wearing a pair of wine red lace panties, the color a dramatic contrast to her pale, milky skin.

"You can stand, Anastasia," I said, my Dom firmly in control.

Ana sinuously rose in front of me, her eyes cast demurely at the ground.

"Any time you come here is about pleasure, Ana. What are your safewords?"

"Yellow and red, Sir. Yellow to say I am approaching my limit, red to stop."

"That's right. And do you trust me, Ana?"

"Absolutely."

"Good girl," I murmured, moving around the room and preparing my tools. Ana was still tired, so this would be more about giving her what she needed. She needed to hand over power and experience the relief of submission; trusting I would take care of her. "Take off your panties."

Without hesitation, Ana slipped the silk and lace confection down her shapely legs until they were puddled around her feet. She stepped out of them, her eyes downcast awaiting my next request.

"The apartment is vacant, and the cameras are off. I want you to walk naked to the library and select a book. You are going to read out loud for me."

"Any book, Sir?"

"Any book you like, Anastasia."

Her eyes downcast, Ana left the playroom, walking through the apartment and across to the library on the other side of the great room. The lights were off, but there would be enough ambient light from the city skyline outside that she would be able to see. I'd switched on the air-conditioning in the great room and library before I came in, and I could almost imagine the goosebumps as the cold air hit her smooth, unblemished skin. She was back a few minutes later, and I was gratified to see her nipples were tight and puckered, responding to the cold or maybe excitement at my dominance – or perhaps a combination thereof.

"I have a book, Sir."

"What did you choose?" I asked, out of interest.

" _The Discipline of Odette._ It's a translation of a French novel."

" _Matée par le fouet_." I murmured. I had a first edition in the library somewhere and had quite enjoyed it in the native tongue. I'd forgotten I had the English translation. "That's quite an unorthodox choice, Miss Steele."

"This is quite an unorthodox situation, Sir."

"That it is. I'd like you to take a seat," I said, gesturing to my sex swing. I smirked as Ana looked at the apparatus, trying to figure out how to seat herself within it. My swing was a convertible style, and I'd used the time while Ana was selecting a book to attach the leather back piece. This would enable her to lie back supported on the sling and rest her feet in the stirrups. It was quite comfortable and would leave her hands free for the book. It would also leave her pretty flower open for my inspection and enjoyment, and enjoy it I intended to.

Taking the book and setting it aside, for the moment, I helped Ana into the sling, savoring her blush as I appreciated how exposed she was once I placed each foot in the stirrups. Once she was secure, I wound the handle twice, lifting the sling higher from the floor and the perfect height for me to thrust into the beautiful Miss Steele. But that was for later. Right now I wanted a bedtime story.

I passed Ana the book, telling her to pick a page and start reading.

"Read smoothly and without pause," I warned, "no matter _what_ I am doing."

"Yes Sir," she replied, her voice breathy with anticipation and a little fear.

"Just pleasure here, Ana," I reminded her, seeing the gleam between her lower lips as her excitement got the better of her. "Only pleasure. Now read."

Ana's bright, confident voice was soon recounting the tale. Starting in an innocuous section, she read with inflection and emphasis that nonetheless held my interest. As she read I moved around the playroom; partially to gather some toys, partly to test if she would waver in her task. Pleasantly surprised to find Ana diligent in her duties, I pulled over a small footstool, placing it directly between her legs. Sitting myself on it, my face only inches away from her slick little slit.

Grabbing my first implement, a feather, I lazily tickled the top of Ana's foot with it. Her voice paused infinitesimally before continuing. Once she was used to the sensation, I brought the feather to the underside of her foot, tickling her again before slowly dragging the feather along her inner calf and up to her thigh. I was careful to avoid her glistening opening, instead tickling the tuft of hair on her mound. Other than squirming slightly in the sling, Ana made no reaction – her voice still strong and steady. I grinned, bringing the feather back down the opposite thigh, tickling behind her kneecap before traversing the smooth skin of her calf and back down to her foot.

My next toy was something I'd ordered from a baking supplier. A metal pastry decorating tool, it was like a miniature pizza cutter with a fluted edge. Not sharp, I knew from first-hand experience it gave a peculiar sensation on the skin. Still, I didn't want to alarm Ana, so I held it up in front of her, running it against my skin before I started in on hers.

Anastasia kept reading, although her voice was lower and huskier. She'd reached a more prurient passage, and it was undoubtedly helping with her arousal. The smell of her pussy was delectable, the spotlight I had trained on Ana to give her light to read also highlighting the glistening fluid coating the inner lips of her slit. A slit that was wide open to me thanks to the sling.

I took my time with the bakery tool, trailing it up and down Ana's thighs, smirking at the goose bumps on her flesh. It was warm in here – I didn't want my girl to catch a cold or get sick – so I knew the goosebumps were those of expectation and pleasure.

The third tool I employed without warning, gently smacking the inside of her thigh with a small, handheld flogger. My beautiful girl gasped but quickly regained her equilibrium. I followed my first sensuous blow with another then another. By the time I was slapping her slit, the soft leather strips teasing her lips and clit, Ana's voice was needy, the words less precise than her previous efforts.

"Keep reading, Ana," I warned.

She self-corrected, regaining a strong voice. Yet it again faltered when she heard the vibrating whir from my next apparatus. An eight-inch vibe, I'd selected this one because it could be used to tease but could also be inserted. Not that I wanted Ana's pussy to be filled with anything but _me,_ but she wasn't to know that. _  
_

Showing it to her, I then followed the path I'd used for the other toys, doing first one leg, then the other. When I was at about knee level on the second side, I surprised Ana by kissing her between her legs, using my tongue to tickle her tight little pearl.

Writhing beneath me, Ana's voice was getting faint and breathy as I pleasured her. I brought the vibrator up to her clit before I moved down, lapping at the opening to her honey hole; tasting her musky nectar before pulling my mouth away, using my fingers to coax more of the viscous liquid from her quim. Ana was moaning loudly, now, and the book fell from her hands to the floor.

"Tsk tsk, Miss Steele. I told you to keep reading. I'm going to have to punish you, now!"

"Punish me?" she groaned as I removed my fingers and kissed her cunt again. "How are you going to punish me, Sir?!"

"By giving you every single inch of me," I explained, undoing my playroom jeans to expose my painfully hard cock. Before Ana knew what was happening, I was standing between her legs, slipping inside her wet, willing, waiting pussy.

"Sir!" Ana gasped, her eyelids fluttering on her cheeks.

"Play with your breasts," I growled, loving the sight of Ana in front of me. As soon as she was doing as bidden, I started a little motion on the swing. I stood still and let the gentle back and forth motion pull Ana on and almost off my cock. It was a different sensation and took some getting used to, but in my experience, it led to explosive orgasms for both partners and was worth the effort. It certainly seemed to be worth it for Ana if her enthusiastic wailing was anything to go by. She was getting more and more excited, and vocal, which was like a siren's call to my ears. The louder she became, the more it excited me.

Ana's inner walls were tightening around me, and I knew it was going to be any second. She wouldn't be able to stop it, so I ordered her release.

"Cum, baby," I whispered, my teeth clenched in an effort to hold out until she started. And then she did. With a long, keening wail, Ana came like a freight train, completely derailing my tenuous self-control. Before she could draw breath, I was cuming, too; spurting rope after rope of cum into Ana's tight quim. I was standing, legs shaking, as Ana looked up at me from where she was reclined on the swing. She honestly looked a little shell-shocked.

"Is that what you needed?" I asked, seeing a peaceful, happy expression spread across her face.

"It was, Sir," she confirmed. Happy with a good job well done, I helped Ana remove her feet from the swing's stirrups before lifting her from the swing.

"Let's shower, baby."

Half an hour later we were curled up in bed together. I couldn't get the image of Ana's post-coital expression from my mind, and it was making me hard again. Ana was almost asleep when I pushed my erection up against her, signaling I was hoping for round two. When she wiggled her ass against me in acceptance, I pushed her onto her back wanting to save her any exertion. My girl was tired, so I'd put in the hard yards. I set a slow and steady pace, pulling in and out of her, and while she seemed to enjoy it, she wasn't as responsive as she was usually.

"I'm sorry, Christian. I've tried, I've really tried, but I'm not sure I can do this..."

"Baby?"

"I'm sorry... I think you've taken all the orgasms I can manage for the day!" she explained, signaling I didn't need to hold out for her.

"I take that as a challenge," I murmured, kissing her lips sweetly.

Sure enough, less than five minutes later, I gave Miss Steele another orgasm arguably every bit as good as her last.

"So it appears I _did_ have another in me," Ana murmured as she curled onto her side and fell asleep. I cuddled her for five minutes before getting up and strutting to my study to do some work – feeling proud as punch that my baby was satisfied and happy, and that I was the reason for it!


	55. Chapter 55

"Can I offer you a glass of champagne, ladies? I also have sparkling non-alcoholic cider," Caroline Acton said, gesturing for one of her minions to snap to attention. It didn't take a genius to work out that when the fiancée of Seattle's richest man went shopping with her mother and mother-in-law to be, some serious coin was going to be spent. Once the three of us had drinks, and we were completely alone, Caroline commenced.

"I've spoken with Mr. Grey, and he has disclosed the purpose of your appointment today. All the staff have signed NDAs, but in any case, they have been told you are shopping for engagement party dresses. May I suggest we start with Miss Steele outlining the color scheme they have chosen, and then we can look at some dresses to complement? For a mother of the bride, or groom, the idea is not to match the wedding party, but the tones should work well together for the photographs."

"My dress is a soft white, with a lace overlay. The lace has a slight gray to it with silver embellishments. Kate is wearing a silver-gray dress. Christian and Elliot are wearing silver accessories. The flowers are white and blue."

"That gives us a lot to work with. Mrs. Adams, do you have any thoughts on the colors you'd like to wear? It's a late afternoon wedding so you'll be wearing a long gown."

I smiled at Caroline, thankful she was steering my mother in the right direction. I wasn't quite sure, myself, what was appropriate so appreciated the assistance.

"I often wear blue as it matches my eyes," Mom said. "I think I'd prefer a mid-blue. Nothing too bright, though." I nodded encouragingly. That sounded ok.

"Dr. Trevelyan?"

"Oh please, Caroline, call me Grace. I was thinking perhaps separates? I'd prefer a skirt, but I'm open to a pantsuit if that's how it works out. I thought perhaps a three quarter or elbow length jacket and not too shiny. Maybe lace or dupion silk? As for colors, I thought a dark silver or a warm gray?"

Caroline looked optimistic and went out onto the floor to select gowns for Mom and Grace. Grace probably already had a hundred things in her closet she could wear, but I understood part of the excitement of being the mother of the groom was choosing an outfit. Before long, Caroline was back with two racks of gowns, settling Mom in one change room, and Grace in another.

"It's your day, Miss Steele," Caroline said conspiratorially while the two mothers changed. "If there's something you particularly like or don't like, let me know." I knew she was referring to my mother and our previous conversation about her clothing selections.

Grace was the first to emerge in a dark gray silk three piece. A long silk skirt, with a lace top and matching silk jacket, it was gorgeous. Eminently suitable, it suited her trim figure, and the color was flattering on her.

"This is pretty much exactly what I had in mind," she said, presenting herself for my inspection. I wasn't sure of Grace's age, but I knew she had to be approaching sixty if not already there, but she looked much younger.

"Grace it's beautiful," I said sincerely.

"Do you think it would complement your scheme?" she asked tentatively. "I'll try on some others…"

"It will match nicely. If you like it, I think it's a wonderful choice."

"I'll wait to see what your mother chooses, and try on a few more," she said, but I think she'd all but made up her mind.

The first one my mother came out in I didn't particularly like. A fit and flare style, the top was a little lower than I thought was seemly. Thankfully Mom thought the same thing and said so without me needing to. She and Grace returned to the change rooms to try on other dresses. By Mom's third, I knew we'd found the right one. A deep dusky blue overlay lace dress with a matching wrap, it was flattering but age appropriate.

"Oh, Anastasia! I like this one!" Mom said, excited.

"I like it, too," I replied with enthusiasm.

Caroline was nodding approvingly.

"Grace? You would have been to more formal events than I have, what do you think?" Mom checked, deferring to Grace's experience.

"I think you look beautiful, Carla. I can see where Ana gets her lovely looks."

"Have you decided on an outfit? I quite liked the first one you tried."

"I did, too. As the mother of the bride, though, the first selection is yours, Carla."

"Anastasia? Come unzip me?" Mom asked. I followed her back into the change room.

"Are you sure this one is suitable? I'm completely out of my depth here," she whispered in embarrassment. "I keep second-guessing myself about what's right to wear and right to say. I don't want to embarrass you."

My heart went out to my mother. She'd told Christian she was worried she might embarrass me, but I'd thought it was an excuse not to come to Seattle. It hadn't occurred to me that she might genuinely feel intimidated by my new world. I guess it _was_ a big adjustment for all of us.

"I agree with Caroline and Grace. That dress is gorgeous and perfect for the occasion. And just be yourself, Mom. No one cares what you say or wear, just that you're here!"

I unzipped the dress, noticing on the tag it was $600. A bargain compared to some of the other potentials.

"Then if you like it, I'll get it," Mom said, stepping out of the gown and quickly redressing before giving me a hug. We emerged from the change room, Mom announcing she was buying the blue dress. As I'd anticipated, Grace then decided on the three-piece gray outfit.

"In which case, I'll get this one. The color was the clincher. I'd call it steel gray" Grace joked, getting a smile from all of us.

Caroline then brought out outfits she'd selected for my wedding trousseau. Mom and Grace admired the elegant selection. I couldn't get much of a read of where we'd be going from what she'd chosen. There were a range of casual, dressy and ultra-dressy outfits as well as several swimsuits and a range of shoes and accessories.

"I've gone with mix and match and a comfortable fit as much as possible. I've also got a selection of underwear," Caroline explained, leading me across to some beautiful intimates. They ranged from sweet to very sexy – and I knew Christian would be beside himself when he saw me in these.

"I'll take it all," I said. "Can you please pack two matching briefs for every bra," I said quietly so Mom and Grace would not hear me. I didn't think they needed to know about Christian's expensive penchant for tearing my panties from me!

Mom insisted on paying for her own dress in a move that surprised me. $600 was a lot of money, but Mom rightly pointed out that Christian had paid for everything else, including their flights and accommodation. Grace had her outfit charged to her own account, so in the end, it was only my items charged to our account. I had just signed off and agreed to Caroline's suggestion they take the tags off and pack everything into new luggage for me when the man himself appeared.

"Christian! I wasn't expecting to see you here," I said, taking the opportunity for an unexpected kiss.

"I wanted to see my girl," he said giving me one of his panty-dropping smiles before turning to our mothers.

"Carla? It's such a beautiful day, I thought you and Bob might like to see Lake Washington? Ryan here can take you back to the hotel to change, then take you both to my yacht for lunch. My skipper is waiting there to take you out on the lake for an hour or two."

Mom seemed pleased by the idea, and after hugs and promises to catch up with us for dinner at Escala tonight, she left with Ryan.

"What is it?" I asked, catching tense, loaded looks between Christian and his mother.

"Anastasia, what my father said the other day was inexcusable, but he's my father, and I want to give him a chance to apologize and explain. Mom's meeting him for lunch at the Mile High Club to discuss his behavior. I'm going to join them, and I'd like you to accompany me."

My heart started racing. I knew I'd have to see Carrick again some time. It didn't mean I was looking _forward_ to it. What he'd said had wounded me gravely, and I was far from over it.

"Please, baby?" Christian asked, pulling me slightly to one side and out of Grace's earshot. "Mom is beside herself. She and Dad have barely spoken since Monday…"

"Ok," I said with a conviction I didn't feel.

"Thank you, baby. I promise you, if he says one damned word out of place, we'll leave."

"Thank you," I murmured, squeezing his hand.

"Come on, Mom. Let's get this over and done with," Christian said, as we walked through the store. Caroline led us through to a staff entrance where Taylor was waiting with the car. Christian sat in the passenger seat, while Grace and I sat in the back.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with him." Grace's tone was apologetic. "I've never seen Carry so rude as he was the other night. I don't know what's gotten into him."

"He hasn't said anything since?" I asked.

"I haven't wanted to be in the same room with him to listen," was Grace's pointed reply.

In no time we were pulling up in the building's underground garage, Taylor deftly pulling into one of Christian's designated spots. Taylor opened the door for Grace, while Christian did likewise for me.

"Does your father know we're coming?"

"No. Mom called his office and told him to meet her here. We'll be dining in the owner's suite, so we'll have our privacy."

We stood in silence in the elevator, Christian with his arms wrapped around me from behind. I could feel the tension in his body, so I leaned back into him. When we arrived, Christian and Taylor waited for Grace and me to exit the elevator before following. We paused for a moment at the desk.

"Good afternoon, has Mr. Grey Senior arrived yet?" Grace asked.

"Yes. He's in the private dining room now."

"Thank you. There will be four of us dining today. Please have the staff set two extra places."

Orders given, Grace swept confidently through the dining room, nodding at the occasional acquaintance. A doyen socially and professionally, it stood to reason she would know some of those dining at one of Seattle's best restaurants. Christian held my hand as we followed in his mother's wake into the private dining room, seeing Carrick stand as we entered. Taylor closed the door behind us, waiting for us on the other side.

"Grace," Carrick greeted, kissing her cheek cautiously then looking at Christian and me.

"Carry, I asked Christian and Ana to join us today," Grace explained as servers came to set an additional two places at the table. Her voice was arctic, and Carrick seemed to deflate a little at her coldness. There was an awkward silence as the servers reset the table.

We sat and ordered quickly. I had next to no appetite, but there was no need to provoke Christian's displeasure by not eating, so I chose the Risoni 'risotto' with pickled golden enoki, broccolini and mushroom floss. Once we'd placed our orders, and the waiter had departed, Grace addressed her husband.

"Carrick I hope, by now, you've come to the realization that your behavior on Monday evening was nothing short of deplorable. Our son and his fiancée did not deserve to be ambushed like that."

Mr. Grey Senior accepted Grace's admonishments manfully, nodding in acknowledgment.

"You're right, Grace. I'd had too much to drink, and as a result, my behavior was completely unacceptable, and for that, I wholeheartedly apologize. That said, I still maintain that marrying so hastily is a mistake. If there _is_ a baby, there is no guarantee it's Christian's."

I felt Christian squeeze my hand, but I was shocked that Carrick was not backing down on this.

"There _is_ a baby. I stopped Lorraine at the hospital and thanked her for performing the scan," Grace said in a tight voice. "She assured me all was right on schedule and the baby looked perfect. So there is a baby - and I have no doubts at all that the child is Christian's."

"What's going on?" Christian asked his father, far from unhappy. "What makes you so convinced Anastasia is some scheming gold-digger?"

Carrick's eyes met mine cooly before he replied.

"Firstly, she's changed you. You're very different, now, to how you were before she came along."

"That's because I'm _happy!"_ Christian bellowed. "For the first time I can remember, I'm happy!"

"She's making you abandon your old friends," Carrick continued as though Christian had not said a word. "Isolating you from your supports."

"Can you _hear_ yourself?!" Christian said, shouting at his father. "I'm now more social than I've _ever_ been. Elliot and I hang out. Hell - we went to New York engagement ring shopping together! Ana and I went over to Ros and Gwen's for dinner. She's been my COO and right-hand woman for eight years, and it's the second time I've been there."

"She made you ruin Elena Lincoln's business," Carrick countered.

"No. She didn't. Anastasia doesn't like Elena, but she didn't ask me to break off our business arrangement. That was entirely my decision."

"Because of Anastasia?" Carrick asked the question so softly I almost didn't hear it.

Christian paused, and Carrick's eyes flashed in victory.

"Not entirely."

"But partially?"

"Yes."

"This is what I mean, Christian. Elena was a big support to you in the early days. She's one of your oldest friends, yet you've completely turned your back on her because of Anastasia. You didn't just walk away – you ruined her."

"That's not any of your business."

"Anything that has my son acting like this is my business," Carrick snapped. "Elena has informed me about some less than savory aspects of Anastasia's past. Grace – I'm sorry to raise such a distasteful topic in front of you, but did either of you know that Ana funded her college education via sex-work?"

Christian jumped to his feet, eyes blazing. He pulled his father from the chair by the front of his shirt.

"That is not true. Apologize to Ana!"

I put down my napkin, standing on shaking legs. Tears of mortification and shame were running down my face.

"Christian I am leaving. I am not going to sit here and listen to Elena's lies coming out of your father's mouth."

"Please, baby?" Christian said, releasing his father to grab my wrist in panic. I'd meant I was leaving the restaurant, not leaving him, but at that moment, he didn't know that.

"I'll be at home, Christian. If your father chooses to believe that botoxed pedophile over me, then I'm done here."

"Calling Elena Lincoln a pedophile could get you in a lot of trouble, Miss Steele," Carrick said icily. "As a lawyer, I'd advise you not to do it again."

Christian's eyes met mine, and I saw him make the decision.

"It's not defamation if it's true, Carrick. Elena Lincoln seduced me days after I turned fifteen."


	56. Chapter 56

"Please baby, stay? I can't do this without you," I pleaded, refusing to let go of Ana. Now I'd admitted the truth, I was determined to see it through. Even if it cost me my family, I couldn't live with the burden of this secret any longer.

Ana nodded, stepping into my open arms. Ignoring my parents, she embraced me, hard, stroking my chest in that way that calmed me while looking up into my eyes.

"I'm proud of you, Christian. I love you, and nothing's going to change that."

My parents were ominously silent as I held out Ana's seat for her, pulling mine right next to hers. We sat side by side as I held onto Ana's hand as though my life depended on it. I stared out at the million-dollar view of the gloomy Seattle skyline. A couple of days since the sunshine of my mother's barbecue, and now it was all gray skies and rain. Symbolic, really.

"The Elena Lincoln you know is a façade, and far from _the real_ her. She is a sadist, a pedophile and for six years I was her sexual submissive. It started when I was fifteen. I was at her house doing yard work as punishment after I was expelled. I was young and horny, but terrified of starting anything with a girl because they'd want to touch me. Elena knew that, so on the first day I was working for her, she kissed me passionately, then slapped me hard. Then she said she'd see me the next day. I didn't know what to think of it, but I returned."

I took a gulp of water, not daring to look at either of my parents. Ana was stroking my hand softly, so I focused on that, my eyes downcast on her small hand and the huge diamond I'd given her.

"Over the course of the next few months, Elena taught me about sex, BDSM, and made me her submissive. She knew not to touch me where I feared. She pushed _every other boundary,"_ I said bitterly, "but in that way, she adhered to my wishes. I had a set of rules that I had to adhere to. If I did, she rewarded me with sex. If I didn't then she would punish me."

I glanced up to see my mother had her hand over her mouth in horror and was weeping. Ana dug a packet of tissues out of her handbag and passed them to her, giving her a sad, knowing smile.

"The punishments were often harsh. Sometimes I was whipped, caned or beaten. Other times she would use sensory deprivation, or if it were school holidays, she'd lock me in a room without food for a couple of days. The worst was when she'd loan me out to other Dominants to use as they wished. It was scary, but Elena convinced me that if I told anyone what was going on, they wouldn't believe me, or would blame me. I soon learned to obey her rules. This continued through until I returned from Harvard and started GEH. Elena was one of the reasons I left Harvard. She wanted me back close to her so she could continue to control me. However, the time at Harvard had given me the space to appreciate I didn't want to continue being Elena's submissive. I only agreed to return to Seattle when Elena promised to bankroll my first acquisition. Around that time, I also started my own practice as a Dominant."

I closed my eyes, unprepared to witness my parents' horror and disappointment.

"That was the only way I knew how to be.. intimate," I explained. "There are clubs for that sort of thing, and I met a young woman who was a submissive," I said, my cheeks flushing bright red. "I had contracts drawn up as well as an NDA. I was never into the more extreme aspects of the lifestyle, and I am sure you don't want to hear details. Suffice to say in that relationship, and every one thereafter, everything was a hundred percent consensual, but they were not relationships in an emotional sense."

"Were these women paid?" my father asked. His voice was emotionless, and I knew he was working through the legal ramifications of all I was revealing.

"No. I would provide them with a new car, and a wardrobe that they could keep once our contract was over, but in the sense you're asking, then no."

"Were there many?" Mom asked, her voice trembling.

"Enough," I said bitterly. "The longest was with me for almost a year. Some of them only a few months. When GEH started to really take off, it was no longer safe for me to attend clubs to seek out partners, so Elena would identify suitable young women and introduce them to me. At the time, I thought she was a friend and protecting me from exposure, but now I see it was just one more way of her controlling me."

"Is that what Elena meant when she said Ana was a sex-worker? Are you into that lifestyle too, dear?" my mother asked awkwardly, looking at Ana apologetically. "Is that how you really met?"

"Certainly not!" I snapped, my anger returning in full force. "Ana and I met exactly the way I told you. Kate was meant to interview me for their student newspaper but was sick, so as her flatmate Anastasia came in her stead. The moment I saw Ana, I was captivated. I pursued her, hoping to make her my submissive. I did broach the idea with her, and she told me I was fucked-up and needed to sort my shit out," I said, for the first time seeing the humor of the situation. There was no way I'd tell my family that Ana had seriously considered being my sub, or that we still 'played.'

"Elena had photos," my father announced finally explaining his behavior. He pulled out his phone and swiped through until he found an electronic image. He passed the phone to me, and I held it so Ana and I could both see the picture. The photo was confronting. A young woman, who looked remarkably like Ana, was lying on her back looking at the camera with one man's penis in her mouth, her hand wrapped around another cock, while a third man had his shaft buried deep in her ass.

Ana looked away in revulsion, but I studied the photo carefully, enlarging the image on the screen.

"This woman has piercings on her upper ears," I declared coldly, showing an enlargement of just that area to my father. I then focused on the top of one breast where a small butterfly tattoo was visible. "Additionally, Anastasia does not have any tattoos," I said decisively. "This is not Anastasia, and honestly even a cursory glance would reveal that. And even if you really thought it was, surely coming to me would have been a good first step?" I growled at my father.

The tension was growing between my father and me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey, you have my word I've never been involved in anything like that. Christian is my first boyfriend. He's my first and only _everything._ Ray paid for most of my college tuition. He's saved ever since I was little to be able to cover it. The rest is a student loan. I worked in a hardware store throughout my studies to pay for my day to day expenses. _"_

I was so proud Ana put herself out there to disclose that to my parents. Well, my father really. If Mom loved Ana before hearing about my fucked up past, she _adored_ her for supporting me now! I knew my mother well enough to understand that in her bipolar view of the world Ana was now all but a saint, and Elena the demon.

"Anastasia is the most genuine person I've ever met. And somehow, despite all my issues and problems, she _loves_ me, and I love her. Mom, Dad – I'm _happy._ Ana's love has shown me that what happened between Elena and me was wrong. I used to think it was ok, and that Elena helped me, but she didn't. She preyed on my weaknesses and used my fear to control me. Even after I was no longer her submissive, she controlled and used me. We were partners in the salon, but even there she stole from me. I demanded she stay away from Ana and not risk the future I wanted to build with her, but despite that Elena showed up uninvited at my birthday at Bellevue just so she could try to unnerve Ana. That was the final straw, for me."

"Remember, Carry? She came and said such _horrible_ things about Ana and Kate?" Mom said, her voice furious. "I couldn't understand why she wasn't happy that Christian had finally found someone to love."

My eyes met my father's, and I could see he recognized the truth now he'd been told it. There was too much history, too many signs that with the benefit of hindsight added up to an inescapably horrific conclusion.

"We trusted her," he growled in a fury, his anger finally provoked as the truth sunk in. "She's been a guest in our home _numerous_ times. Hell, I even had lunch with her after the salon thing, and she seemed so genuine. She said she was worried about you and the changes in your personality. But that whole time she was using you and trying to control you. She hurt you! You said she let other people use you. Did they _rape_ you?!"

"That's enough," Ana said, staring my father down and stopping me from having to answer a question I wasn't ready to. "You know the main points now. This is still new for Christian. He needs our love and unwavering support as he comes to terms with what happened and the effects of that."

Ana turned to me taking both my hands in hers.

"I am so proud of you, Christian. You are the strongest person I know, and I love you absolutely. Now and forever."

* * *

It was midafternoon by the time we made it back to Escala. After I'd spilled my guts, I shut down, leaving the table to go and stand by the window looking out over the gloomy Seattle skyline. Ana had taken over, holding my mother as she wept, giving her the reassuring words she needed. Then she'd accepted my father's stilted apology. They had a long way to go, and things may never really be the way they should be between them, but my father knew he had been deceived and manipulated, in process offending the woman who was my salvation, and that made him even more angry with himself and in turn Elena. He was already muttering about the statute of limitations and what could be done legally to make her pay. I'd started to panic, then. My parents knowing was one thing – the rest of the world was another.

Sensing my fear, Ana had extracted a promise from my father that nothing would be done without my express permission. He'd begrudgingly agreed when Ana pointed out how detrimental this secret could be to me professionally and personally. By the time Ana and I finally walked into the peace of Escala, I was almost exploding with tension.

"Thank you, baby," I said, heading to our bedroom to change and spend an hour or two in the gym as Ana ordered dinner, rang her mother and begged off meeting for the evening claiming pregnancy exhaustion, and then asked Gail and Taylor to retire for the evening as soon as dinner was served.

When I returned from the gym, I showered, returning to find the great room blissfully vacant. Ana had loaded our plates and placed them on a side table beside the sofa. With the lights out, and the gas fireplace lit, the space was soft, warm and cocooning. Gail's boneless Coq au Vin was the quintessential comfort food. Served with candied carrots and parsnips, Ana and I sat side by side on the sofa in silence savoring the meal. None of us had ended up touching our food at the Mile High Club, so we were both ravenous.

Eventually replete, our empty plates on the side table, I laid my head in Ana's lap, closing my eyes as she stroked my hair.

"Will they show up on Saturday?" I asked, trying not to sound dejected.

"Pardon?"

"Will my parents be prepared to be there for us on Saturday?" I growled out, embarrassed to have to put my worst fears into words.

"Christian your parents are horrified by what happened to you, but they're not horrified with you."

"They left as soon as they could," I said, remembering the way neither Mom or Dad could look at me as Dad had helped Mom from the club, using an exit via the kitchen rather than risk being seen so obviously distressed in the main dining room. "They're ashamed of me…"

"They're not!" Ana tried to convince me. But I knew better. My parents knew my secret, and they were every bit as revolted as I'd always feared they would be. Perhaps, after everything, Elena was right after all? Ana cuddled and caressed me, and I took solace in her unaltered regard. She would be my family, now. Her and blip.

"Christian? I need to pee," she said after a while, excusing herself.

Ana went to the bathroom, and I sat watching the fire. I didn't regret all my choices – without them, I would never have met Ana. Yet I would wish so many of the experiences away. When Dad had asked me whether I'd been raped, my mind finally allowed me to admit I didn't consent to many of the acts, sexual and otherwise, which had been performed on me. And even though I now knew I'd been too young and out of my depth to stop it, I was ashamed that I'd allowed it to occur.

Ana returned to sit with me, the two of us cuddled under a blanket staring at the flames. We didn't need them for the warmth, but the flickering was somehow cathartic in the dark, cavernous space. We were still there, silent, an hour later when the elevator pinged. My mother and father stepped out, my mother weeping.

"Thank you for calling us, Ana. Christian, you are and will always be my precious boy! Nothing is ever going to change that. I'm sorry I failed you! I'm your mother, and I should have never allowed this to happen. I should have seen what was going on right under my nose. I love you so very, very much. The moment I saw you in the hospital, I promised to never let you hurt again, and I _failed_ you! Please forgive me?" she pleaded, crossing the space toward Ana and me.

I stood to greet them, and my mother flung herself into my arms. And for the first time in my life, I felt Grace's arms around me. Her head was resting against my chest sobbing, and I cried, too. There was no pain in her touch. Just the comfort of a mother's love as I told her it wasn't her fault – it had never been her fault – and that I loved her. And then I was in my father's arms, too, as he wrapped his arms around both of us.

"I love you, Christian. You're my son in every single way that matters. I'm sorry I was blinded by lies. I know you and Anastasia may never truly forgive me. Everything I said and did was from fear and love for you, so if you believe naught else, know that."

Ana smiled, and without a word left for our bedroom, leaving me to be reassured by my parents.


	57. Chapter 57

I woke up to an empty bed. It had been late when Christian finally came to bed. I'd briefly woken when he came into our bedroom. I'd half expected him to wake me for sex – his usual go to when he was feeling out of control with his emotions – but he'd climbed into bed behind me, spooning me and kissing my hair before telling me he loved me and then we fell asleep together. So nothing prepared me for the unexpected sight in front of me at the breakfast bar this morning.

Grace was sitting on a stool wrapped in a waffle-weave robe I recognized from my closet. Sitting beside her was Carrick. Also wearing a bathrobe, his was the navy blue one Gail and I had bought before Ray's last visit. Christian was sitting with them, dressed in long pajama bottoms and a TShirt. Gail was in the kitchen making stack after stack of pancakes.

I was glad I had dressed in long silky pajama bottoms, a tank top, and a matching silky bathrobe before I came out. Smiling at Christian, I joined them.

"Hey baby," Christian said sweetly as he saw me approach the breakfast bar. "You up for pancakes?"

My stomach rumbled loudly in an embarrassing way. Despite what Carrick once thought, there was no doubt this child was Christian's; already it was making sure I ate regularly. I walked into Christian's open arms and accepted his tender kiss.

"First serve goes to the mother to be," Christian laughed, taking a plate from Gail and putting it in front of the empty stool. There was bacon, berries, chocolate sauce and a heap of other toppings already on a platter in the middle of the island bench.

I served myself, heaping bacon and then maple syrup on my stack. The first mouthful was so delectable, I couldn't prevent a satisfied moan escaping my throat as I chewed in blissful satisfaction. Christian smirked, and even Mrs. Jones had a little twinkle in her eye as she served me my usual cup of tea, carefully placing my prenatal vitamins in a small bowl beside it.

"I can't help it," I grumbled, once my mouth was clear of pancake. "This baby has turned me into a walking, breathing, eating machine. Now the nausea is gone, I am hungry _all the time!"_

Grace smiled. She looked different with her hair out and without makeup. She was still beautiful, but somehow she seemed more approachable.

"A lot of women find that in the second trimester," she explained reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. It's our grandbaby's way of getting all the nutrients it needs. It's the same with cravings. While they might seem strange, there's research that suggests the little one knows what it needs – so unless you start craving non-food objects, or things on the unsafe foods list, you're good to indulge in moderation."

Gail was soon placing stacks in front of Christian, Grace, and Carrick.

"It was late by the time we finished talking last night," Christian explained as he heaped his pancakes with berries. "Everyone was tired, and we'd had a bit to drink. It seemed silly to wake any of security so late, so Mom and Dad stayed over. I'm sorry I didn't run it past you." Christian said it casually, but I could hear a note of pride in his voice. I was fairly sure Christian had once told me none of his family had ever slept over at Escala, so offering his family his hospitality was potentially another first for my precious fifty.

"Yes, Ana. Thank you for having us; it's very much appreciated," Grace added with a smile.

I was caught by surprise. I still thought of this as Christian's place, yet here was his mother acknowledging it as _our_ home.

"You're family. You'll always be welcome," I replied, smiling at Grace, so I didn't have to meet Carrick's eyes. He'd apologized last night, but I wasn't ready to move on. Christian's grin was all the thanks I needed. I had no idea what the hours of discussion with his parents had been about; he was happy and relaxed, and that was enough for me.

"What are your plans for the day, baby?"

"I'm meant to have my dress fitting this morning before the boutique opens, and then Mom and I have appointments with the beautician. Poor Bob is not going to enjoy that…"

"What does he enjoy, Ana?" Carrick asked, addressing me directly for the first time since his apology.

"Sports? I know he is keen on fishing…?"

"Yes, he mentioned that on Labor Day. I have nothing pressing at the office today. Maybe he'd like to join me for a day on the lake fishing while you ladies do your errands?"

I'd intended the final dress fitting to be just Mom and me, but one look at Grace's hopeful face was enough to put _that_ idea to rest.

"That's a great idea!" Christian said optimistically. He wanted me to forgive his father, and while that was a _long_ way from happening, I appreciated Carrick making an effort, and it did solve the dilemma of what to do with Bob while Mom and I hung out.

"Let me finish breakfast, then I'll call Mom and Bob," I said with a slightly forced smile on my face. The pancakes, bacon, syrup, tea, vitamins, and then a sneaky second serve of pancakes on board, and I was feeling happier about the day's plans. Grace looked so excited to be getting a sneak peek at the dress, and since Kate couldn't be there for the final fitting, Grace might as well come along.

After breakfast I made arrangements with Mom, then we disappeared back to our rooms to dress. Christian was in a wonderful mood, grabbing me while I was standing in the middle of our closet trying to decide what to wear.

"Thank you for calling my parents last night, baby."

"You seem a lot happier today?"

"I am. It's a beautiful day, I'm in love with a gorgeous woman who in two days' time I'm going to marry. Life is good!"

Christian's excitement and enthusiasm were contagious, and I found myself laughing when he scooped me up and twirled me around the closet.

"Don't you have an empire to go run?" I giggled. "Surely something needs to be merged or acquired?!"

"Hmm, Miss Steele… The only acquisition and then merger I have on my mind just now is of rather a different nature," he teased, his eyes darkening as he put me down, kissing me firmly.

"No time for that this morning," I said, pushing him away. "I have a wedding dress I need to try and fit into!"

"I knew I should have had my way with you last night," he grumbled, pulling on his suit jacket and giving me a loving peck. "I'm flying to Bellingham for a meeting this afternoon, but I'll be home by six at the latest."

"Alright. Have a good day at work dear," I replied sweetly, watching his fine ass as he walked out into our room. I slipped into some comfortable underwear, a loose skirt, and a blouse. Brushing my hair and putting on some mascara and lip-gloss I returned to the great room to see Grace waiting with a cup of coffee. Dressed in the same clothing as the evening before, she had her hair up and was wearing subtle makeup.

"Carrick took his car and will pick up Bob from The Fairmont, and Christian's gone with Taylor," she said patting the stool beside her.

I had a feeling I was about to have a deep, meaningful conversation with my mother-in-law to be.

"You gave our son back to us," she said simply. "We will be forever in your debt. Carrick's behavior was appalling; he knows that now. I don't expect you to forgive him any time soon, but I appreciate your willingness to keep the peace."

I nodded. There was nothing else to be said.

"Now – have you thought about our offer to host dinner at Bellevue tomorrow night? I know you're not doing a rehearsal as such, but it would mean a lot to Carrick and me if you'd let us do that for you both."

"That would be lovely, thank you, Grace," I consented. It was a kind gesture, and a step toward mending the rift between Mr. Grey Senior and me.

"Wonderful!" Grace beamed. "Now let's go get Carla and see this dress!"

To my relief, I _was_ able to fit into my dress. I donned my bridal shoes, a gorgeous pair of Manolo Blahniks Kate and Andrea had insisted I needed, then Stephanie did the final pinning before putting on my veil. Outside the dressing room, I could hear Mom and Grace chatting and enjoying their second glasses of champagne. We had Prescott with us today, and I reminded myself to thank her for suggesting this dress.

"Are you ready?" Stephanie asked.

"As I'll ever be," I said, still stunned at my own reflection.

Walking out to the raised stand I felt every bit a beautiful bride – especially when Mom and Grace saw me.

"Oh, Anastasia! You look beautiful!" Mom said, her eyes welling up. "Your father would have been so proud."

"Carla is right, darling. You look like an absolute vision!"

"Well you can thank Prescott – she's the one who suggested I try this dress," I replied.

"I thought you'd look good in it," she said with a grin, her white teeth contrasting sharply with today's tangerine-colored lipstick. It looked magnificent on her.

After ten minutes of admiration and final adjustments, I was back in the change room getting back into my street wear. I was a little sad to be getting out of my dress; it really did make me feel like a princess.

A quick call to the beauticians and they were able to squeeze Grace in to have her nails done, too. I sat with Mom and Grace as they drank more champagne while our nails were shaped and polished for the wedding. I went for a natural looking, classic French manicure. My nails were relatively short, so I decided that would look best. Under Prescott's expert guidance, Mom chose a pretty, metallic blue while Grace had her natural nails shaped and buffed. It was almost lunchtime, and I hadn't thought about where to eat. I asked Grace if she could recommend anywhere.

"Have you tried The Georgian at The Fairmont?" Grace asked Mom.

"Um no. Bob and I have been eating at some of the Asian places near the hotel." Mom looked a little embarrassed, and I suspected it was probably because The Georgian was expensive, and she didn't want to put too much on Christian's tab.

"Well let's lunch there," I said, wanting to treat Mom and Grace.

"That works for me," Grace said. "I have some things to do nearby this afternoon."

Prescott drove the three of us to The Fairmont and followed us into the restaurant. While Taylor would sometimes stand against a wall nearby Christian when he dined, or occasionally wait in the car, I just wasn't comfortable treating Prescott like that.

"Prescott, please join us," I said pointing to the fourth seat at the table.

"Ma'am, I am not sure Mr. Grey would like that."

"I would prefer you to sit, Prescott. This is more open than other restaurants I've attended, and people may approach me. I don't want to draw attention to ourselves, but I'd like you close by. The most practical solution is for you to dine with us. Please order whatever you wish."

She didn't look happy about it, but she sat. I was going to have a word with Christian and Taylor about it. While initially, I had not taken to Prescott, for outings like these I preferred her to Sawyer. As far as I was concerned, it made sense for Prescott to sit at the table with me, especially now teenaged girls had taken to coming up to me asking for me to be photographed with them.

The menu was surprisingly small, but we each found something that appealed. The conversation flowed, along with the wine. Between Mom and Grace, they polished off another bottle of champagne, Prescott and I contenting ourselves with sparkling water. There was some confusion when I asked for the check. The maître d' came forward and explained that recognizing me, he'd charged it to the GEH account.

"That's fine, thank you," I said pleasantly, also accepting his gracious best wishes on the announcement of our engagement. He discreetly did not mention anything about my pregnancy.

Grace said her goodbyes at the restaurant, promising to see us all the following night at Bellevue. Mom was feeling a little silly from too much champagne, so I accompanied her upstairs. It was pointless having Prescott sit around waiting while Mom and I chatted, so after making me promise three times I would not leave the suite without her, she took off to run some personal errands in the area.

The corner suite was beautiful, and far from feeling annoyed Christian had put Mom and Bob up here, I was now grateful.

"It was very kind of Christian to do this for us," Mom said, somehow divining my thoughts. "We just didn't want to impose."

"Next time you visit I'll probably have a baby…" In all the excitement about the wedding, Mom and I hadn't chatted much about my pregnancy. We spent the next hour talking. Mom gave me some helpful advice on how to manage things once the baby arrived.

"I thought I might fly across a week or so before your due date?" Mom suggested. "I know I haven't been there for you as much as I should have been, but I'd like to be there for you for this."

I accepted, and we made tentative plans for March next year. It seemed so far away, but I knew it would be here before I knew it. I also told Mom about the new house and how Elliot would be remodeling and turning it into our dream family home.

"I can see if we can get the keys to show you before dinner at Bellevue tomorrow night?" I offered. I'd pretty much pushed the house project to the backburner, for now, but the honeymoon would be a good chance to chat with Christian and get ideas for what we wanted. I'd like to go back and take some photos and measurements to help inform those discussions.

We'd moved on to speculations about where Christian might be taking me for our honeymoon when my cell rang. By the time I'd risen from the sofa, got my bag from the table where I'd left it, and then rummaged through everything to find it, the ringing had stopped. Elliot. That was strange. He never usually rang me directly, but maybe it was something to do with the wedding? He hadn't left a message, and I was debating whether to call him back when he rang again.

"Oh, Ana! Thank God! I can't reach Kate or Dad, Andrea said Christian is probably en route to Bellingham, this is not a job for Mia, and I'm severely short-staffed, and we're pouring concrete today, so I can't leave." He sounded panicked.

"Sure thing, what do you need?"

"I need you to go get Mom. She's been arrested."

" _Arrested?!"_

"Yes. I don't know what's gone down, but Mom attacked Elena Lincoln at her salon! Broke her nose apparently! The police from the East Precinct Headquarters called me!"


	58. Chapter 58

I had been starting my pre-flight checks in Charlie Tango ahead of flying to Bellingham when Andrea managed to catch me. I had to ask her to repeat herself, twice, before swearing and requesting she cancel my meeting. Fortunately, Taylor had not gone too far, so was able to return to collect me, transporting me to Seattle's East Precinct Police Headquarters. On the way, I kept ringing Elliot, but he wasn't picking up. The only thing Andrea had been able to tell me was that my mother had been arrested. Apparently, there was some fuckup, somewhere, because there was no way Grace Trevelyan-Grey, respected wife, mother, pediatrician, and social matriarch, would do anything to get arrested!

We pulled up out the front of the building, and I was raring to go charging in when I felt a wave of peace wash over me. Sure enough, there stepping out of her vehicle with Prescott, was my fiancée. She spotted me and made a beeline toward me.

"Elliot couldn't reach you, so he rang me," she explained, leaning up to claim a kiss, stroking my chest and thereby further soothing me.

"Andrea caught me before I took off. She said Mom's been _arrested?"_ I growled.

Anastasia nodded. "Grace spent the morning with Mom and me, and then after lunch, she said she had things to do in town. I went back to the suite with Mom, and later Elliot called to tell me that Grace had been arrested."

"What for?" I growled, sensing there was something significant Ana was omitting from what she was saying. Her guilty flinch all but proved it. She looked around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear us.

"Elliot said she went to Elena's salon and assaulted her. He said your mother _broke Elena's nose!"_

I couldn't have been more shocked. Honestly, I would probably have been less stunned had my mother walked through Pike Market naked other than her beloved twin strand of pearls. My mother _abhorred_ violence. I ran my hands through my hair so firmly it was a miracle I didn't pull half of it out.

"Christian, let's go inside before we attract too much attention out here," Ana wisely suggested.

I nodded, clasping Anastasia's hand in my own and side by side we ascended the stairs to the police station. Other than a single officer at the front desk, reception was empty. I identified myself and requested to see whoever was in charge. Only seconds later Ana and I were shown through to officer's workroom to see a frankly comical sight. There sat my mother, calmly sipping a cup of tea, and chatting with the bemused Police Commissioner.

"Darling? I thought you had a meeting this afternoon? I asked them to call Elliot."

"Elliot said he was short staffed and they're pouring concrete today," Ana explained.

"Andrea got hold of me before I left for my meeting," I added.

"Well, in any case, you're here now. Commissioner Andersen, am I free to go? I promise you I'll be perfectly safe in the company of my son and daughter-in-law to be," Grace said pleasantly as though they were at one of my mother's charity functions, not sitting in a police station after my mother had violently assaulted someone.

"Well technically speaking, Mrs. Lincoln has yet to press charges, so until she does you're free to go."

"Thank you, Leo. Please give my love to Alice," she said, standing and smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. "You'll excuse me if I don't shake your hand, mine's still a little swollen." 

"I will, and that's fine. I need to warn you, if Mrs. Lincoln presses charges, you'll need to come back in. Needless to say, I am also formally warning you to stay away from Mrs. Lincoln for the foreseeable future."

My mother smiled sweetly, although I noticed she never actually agreed to that stipulation. Ana and I walked her out of the station.

"Christian? Are you returning to work for the afternoon?" Mom checked.

"No. Strangely my _mother_ _assaulting someone_ takes precedence," I spat out, already imagining the field-day the press would have with this. I'd have to get the GEH PR team onto this immediately.

"Then why don't you come to Bellevue, darling? I'm sure your father will appreciate your perspective on how best to deal with this. Ana, you're very welcome to come, too. I'm sure Mia would welcome your input on which dress she should wear to the wedding."

I was still in shock as Ana dismissed Prescott for the day, sliding into the rear of the SUV with my mother, leaving Taylor and me to take the front seats.

"Bellevue," I all but grunted at Taylor, honestly too shocked at what had occurred to say much more. In the back, my mother and Ana were talking about the new house, specifically how Ana wanted to show it to her Mom, and take some measurements before we went on our honeymoon. It was actually a relief to think about something other than the situation with my mother, so I quickly rang Andrea to confirm I was off for the rest of the day, then I rang the realtor. Officially settlement would happen sometime while we were on honeymoon, but since the property was vacant, and contracts had been signed, he had no problem with giving us keys to take measurements. And now I knew Anastasia wanted to keep the house as is, at least in part, I should probably get a sense of how what she wanted to decorate and remodel.

"Let's not say anything about this in front of Bob," my mother said as we pulled up the long circular driveway at my parents' house.

"I think that's for the best," Ana said, with a distinct smirk on her face. "Mom overheard part of the conversation, but I pretended it was a friend of Elliot's."

"That was very thoughtful, thank you, Ana," my mother said genuinely. "I'd hate Carla and Bob to think you were marrying into a violent family." 

Taylor pulled up, and I jumped out of my seat, opening Ana's door. 

"I think you're enjoying this," I accused.

"You have no idea, Grey," she grinned, following my mother up to the front door.

"Hello, darling – did you have a good day?" my father asked just a little too innocently, he and Bob standing up as we walked into the room.

"Wonderful, Carry. How was the lake, Bob? Fish biting?" Mom asked, every part the gracious hostess.

"They were," Bob said with a grin. "I'm afraid I helped Carrick fill your freezer."

"Never mind," Mom said. "It won't go to waste around here."

"Bob? I thought you and Mom might like to dine at the Mile High Club tonight?" Ana suggested. "The view from there is just gorgeous."

"I don't know, Ana. I heard that's kinda pricey…"

"Don't worry about that; I own it, Bob. I'll try and get you a spot in the main dining room, but if it's booked out, there's always the owner's suite. Please eat and enjoy with our compliments," I said, wrapping my arms around Anastasia from behind, and dropping a kiss into her gorgeous chestnut mane of hair. A quick phone call and a table for two in the main dining room by the window had been secured. Taylor was commissioned to drive Bob back to The Fairmont and then return to Bellevue. 

Ana called her mother to inform her of the arrangements, and as soon as she was off the phone, I looked at my mother. However, before I could say anything, my father started.

"So, you've been to war, Grace?" he asked, draping his arm around my mother.

"Yes. I broke her nose, Carry!"

My father grinned. "Good girl, Gracie!" he crooned, giving her a sweet kiss. "Were you arrested?"

"No. I fully cooperated once the police arrived. _She_ has not yet pressed charges, so I think the official word is I was 'helping Police with their inquiries'" my mother recounted, hugely pleased with herself. 

"You _planned_ this?" I gasped, looking at my parents incredulously as my father fetched my mother a celebratory glass of Cristal and an ice pack for her hand. 

"Of course, I planned this, Christian. I know you'll probably never make her legally accountable for what she did. So, I decided to take the matter into my own hands."

"By beating Elena up?" I groaned, imagining my mother in a smart two-piece Chanel suit splashed across the front of The Seattle Times once Elena pressed charges.

"As a start," my mother replied, giving me an ominous smile that was frankly a little creepy. "I think Elena is going to find this is just the _start_ of her problems…"

Ana had her hand covering her mouth to hide her smirk, but those usually innocent powder blue eyes were dancing with merriment. She _lov_ ed this. 

"And you _encouraged_ Mom in this?" I asked my father.

"No. But your mother is her own woman," he clarified looking extremely smug.

"Mom could be _arrested,"_ I growled. "And do you have _any_ idea of what the press is likely to say about this?" Suddenly the press finding out about my wedding to Ana seemed like the least of our worries.

"Christian, the press isn't going to say anything," Mom reassured me. "As far as anyone knows, Elena and I greeted one another cordially, we air kissed fondly and stepped into her office for a moment. Once in there, Elena tripped over in her high heels and fell face first into the corner of her desk."

"If that was the case _why were the police there?"_ I all but shouted.

"Well, things did get a bit confused. The salon was completely dead, but one of the staff may have heard raised voices…" 

" _Tell me_ you were not shouting about _that!?"_ I begged.

"It's alright darling. We went into Elena's office, and I said 'Do you remember how Christian used to do yard work at your house when he'd just turned fifteen?' she said yes, and then I said 'It was a lot more than yard work, wasn't it?'" 

"And then?"

"She said she didn't know what I meant, and that's when I punched her in the face. The first time that is."

"You punched her more than once?!" I groaned.

"Way to go, Grace," my father said grinning proudly.

"She started shouting that I didn't know the full story. She was going to say more, so that's when I broke her nose. She didn't say much after that, and then the police arrived."

"Is she likely to press charges?" Dad asked.

"I doubt it, Carrick. When she realized I knew she was _petrified!"_

"We should probably prepare just in case…"

I called Barney and asked him to scour the Internet for any mention of an incident at Esclava, my mother or Elena Lincoln. I could tell he was curious as hell but wisely did not ask questions. I then rang my head of PR and told them to be on standby without going into detail.

We were still discussing potential strategies when my phone rang. I'd dumped it on the coffee table in front of me, so everyone was able to see the name 'Elena Lincoln' flashing across the screen. 

"No one is to say a word," I growled, answering the phone and flicking it to speaker.

"Grey," I barked in my typical greeting.

"Christian! What the hell! Your mother visited Esclava today and assaulted me!" Elena didn't sound quite her usual self.

"Oh?" I said, trying to hide my amusement. "Well, she wasn't happy when she found out about you sexually abusing me when I was fifteen."

"Why the hell would you tell her about that?! And I didn't _abuse_ you Christian. I helped you. You were wild and out of control. You needed the control I gave you…"

"Justify it any way you want, Elena. The law calls it child molestation, and _so do I."_

"I'm going to press charges against your mother," Elena snapped, changing tacks. "Saint fucking Grace Trevelyan will be dragged in wearing handcuffs!" 

"Much as I'm sure you'd like to see it, that won't be happening. One word about any of this, and I'll make sure the story gets out about _why_ my mother hit you."

"You do that, and everyone finds out _your_ dirty little secrets. You wouldn't want Mommy and Daddy to know what you like to do with pretty little girls in your playroom, would you?"

"They know, Elena. I told them _everything._ And as for my previous submissives, good luck getting them to talk. They all _loathe_ you, despite your little Sub Club."

Elena hissed.

"Oh? Didn't you realize I know about that? And the twenty-thousand-dollar reward if they help you find me a new sub?! Let me make this clear, Elena. I know _a lot_ more than you think I do. I know about the stolen money from the salons, I know about you lying to my father and telling him Anastasia was a _sex-worker,_ and I know that the _last_ thing you need is for anyone else to start asking questions about how much time you've spent with their underage boy."

There was absolute silence. I knew, then, my hunch was correct. I wasn't the only one.

"You will tell everyone you tripped and fell at work, breaking your nose, and that my mother was there and kindly tried to help you. In the confusion, the police were called, but it was all a big misunderstanding." 

"And if I don't?" Elena asked sounding fearful.

"You'll discover you have a lot more to lose than I do."

I disconnected the call, standing and pouring myself and my father a glass of his finest scotch. The four of us were sitting in silence when Mia arrived. One look from Mom was enough to let me know that she'd like to conceal this from Mia if at all possible.

"Hey Christian, Ana. What are you guys doing here?"

"Last minute planning," Ana lied deftly. "Your parents are hosting the night before dinner here tomorrow night. We're just working out the details."

"Ohh! That means I need another dress! Ana? I've got five I've shortlisted for the wedding. Come upstairs and help me chose one?"

Ana obediently stood up, following Mia up the stairs to her bedroom. Once they were out of earshot, I turned to my parents. 

"So, you said you plan to ruin her. What do you have in mind?" I asked curiously.


	59. Chapter 59

I woke and stretched, grinning happily. Tomorrow I was getting married to my wonderful fifty. I rolled over, curling into the side of the very sexy Mr. Grey. He was sitting up in bed, the television on but muted, watching the financial news and talking on his cell.

"I told you, El, it was all a misunderstanding. Mom was at Elena's salon, and they went into her office. Elena tripped in those ridiculous heels she wears and fell, smacking her face against the desk. The staff just heard shouting and came in to see Mom trying to assess Elena's nose. Elena was backing away and freaking out, and they made an incorrect assumption. The police took Mom to the station as a precaution, but Elena clarified Mom was not at fault, so she was never actually arrested."

About half an hour after Christian had spoken with Elena last night, Police Commissioner Leo Andersen had called Grace to let her know Elena would not be pressing charges, and that she'd called the station to explain it was all a misunderstanding. Having seen Grace's swollen hand, the Commissioner must have had some idea about what really happened, yet he wisely decided to accept Elena's explanation at face value.

Christian gave me a sweet smile before returning to his discussion with Elliot. I used his distraction to my advantage, cuddling closer to Christian and letting my hand wander down his chest and beneath the sheet. Finding my prize, I wrapped my hand around Christian's cock, unsurprised to find it already a little stiff. Christian's lips turned up at the edges, but he kept speaking with Elliot.

Not really listening to their conversation, I continued working Christian in my hand, pulling my clenched fist up over his cock's swollen head before bringing it back down again. When he was firm enough, I pulled back the sheet, shimmying down the bed then rolling onto my knees wrapping my lips firmly around his dick. Christian's hips bucked, and he hissed.

"…what? Nothing, dude. Just Arduino stock down two-percent," he said referring to the business news he was watching on screen.

I peeked up mischievously from Christian's crotch, catching his dark gray, penetrating stare as he watched me suck him off. One hand holding the phone, he let the other fall to my head, toying with my hair as I pleasured him.

"So, have you got time to come to the new house tonight before dinner? Ana wants to show her Mom and get some measurements. Might be good if you could come, too?"

I stepped up what I was doing, using my other hand to fondle Christian's sack while I deep-throated him again and again. His eyes closed and resting back against the bed head, his breaths were coming in short, sharp pants and then he groaned.

"Shit El, I gotta go… No, nothing's wrong… _Of course_ , it's the truth about Mom! Fuck off, Elliot – Ana woke up and she's giving me a blow job!" he hissed, stabbing at the disconnect button on the phone before tossing it on the bed.

"You want my cock, Miss Steele? I'll give it to you," Christian growled, holding my head in place and bucking up from beneath. I'd prepared him well; he only lasted another minute before his seed coated the back of my throat. I swallowed quickly, releasing his dick and sliding up the bed to sit next to him.

"Morning," I chirped.

"Morning! What was _that_ for, baby?"

"You'll be sleeping along tonight – I thought I'd better give you a little something to keep you satisfied in the meantime…"

"Ugh. Don't remind me!" Christian grumbled. "This whole not see each other the night before the wedding is bullshit! It's your birthday! _Surely_ you want to wake up next to me on your birthday?"

"Not going to happen, Grey. You heard your mother. You and Elliot are sleeping at Bellevue tonight, and Kate, Ray, and José are staying here with me."

"But I want to make love to you tomorrow morning," he implored with an adorable pout.

"I know, but you'd do best to obey your Mom. I've heard she has a mean right hook," I sniggered.

We dressed and moved out into the great room.

"Good morning Mr. Grey, Miss Steele," Gail greeted us from the kitchen. She already had Christian's egg-white omelet ready for him.

"Morning Gail," I replied. "Any chance of bacon this morning?"

"Coming right up."

I sat and prepared my tea, sipping it slowly with satisfaction raising my eyebrows at Christian over the rim of the bone china cup. Christian had arrived home the other day proudly brandishing a box of decaffeinated English Breakfast teabags. Not only was it not my preferred Twinnings brand, but when I'd tried, it tasted awful. A short but feisty discussion ensued, where Christian hastily agreed I was _in no way_ risking our baby's health by consuming two weak cups of tea a day. Furthermore, he conceded I was an adult, free to eat and drink what I wanted, and that he was sure a box of tea bags shoved up his backside _would_ hurt! I was still smiling thinking about that particular discussion.

"Still planning to come into work?"

"Yes. Gail and I are meeting with Andrea to go over the final details. Then Gail and I will pick up Mom and Bob, and we'll spend the afternoon here. Dad will be here around four, and once you get here, we can meet Elliot at the new house."

"That's fine. Gail – will you have a chance to pack for me for our honeymoon today?" Christian checked.

"Yes, sir. I have already put time aside for that this afternoon."

I eyed Gail speculatively. If she was packing for Christian, then she must know where we were going?

"Don't even think it, Anastasia," Christian warned sternly. "I want our honeymoon to be a surprise."

"Fine," I said petulantly, brightening when Gail deposited a steaming plate of bacon and hot buttered toast in front of me.

The media presence outside GEH was almost non-existent when we arrived, confirming that no word about Grace and Elena's stoush had escaped to the news outlets, and presumably neither had anything about the wedding. We were fortunate that with Kate situated at The Seattle Times, we'd probably get the heads up as soon as word got out. But with only thirty-six hours to go, I was quietly confident we might just pull this off. If we did, as soon as we were on our way to our honeymoon, Kate would be emailing her editor at The Seattle Times a couple of photos of Christian and me in our wedding finery along with a short article outlining the particulars. Kate hoped his joy at being the one to break the news would outweigh his fury when he realized that as my bridesmaid she must have known about the wedding in advance.

"You can use my office," Christian said as we stepped out onto the twentieth floor. "I'll meet with Ros in hers."

Accordingly, Gail, Andrea and I walked into Christian's room, me sitting behind his enormous desk and spinning around in his plush leather chair. His office had changed, subtly, since I'd first seen it. There was the glider I'd given Christian on his desk, along with a framed photo of him and me in New York. Beside it was a photo of his family, the five Greys standing on their back lawn at Bellevue, smiling happily as the water glittered in the background. Opening his desk drawer to retrieve a pen, I found a final photo that brought tears to my eyes. I appreciated why he might not have it on his desk, but in a pretty silver photo frame was one of our twelve-week ultrasound pictures of blip.

Andrea, as always efficiency personified, had a to-do list we quickly checked off, making the last-minute calls and confirmations that were required. José had agreed to do my getting ready photos at Escala, and on his recommendation, we'd hired another photographer he knew to capture Christian getting ready, the ceremony and the family shots afterward. José would then take the location photos of Christian and me, and once we reached the reception, the alternate photographer would take over. It was a good compromise and meant José still got to enjoy the ceremony and reception as a guest. I hadn't told Christian, but I'd asked Kate to make sure the photos in The Seattle Times scoop were José's so he would get exposure via the photo credit.

Once everything was under control, I called Mom, letting her know we'd pick them up in fifteen minutes. Sawyer had met us here at GEH, so he'd drive the four of us back to Escala. We stopped by Ros' office on the way out so I could see my man.

"Hey Ana," Ros said. "Guess next time I see you, you'll be in a white dress!"

"I guess so," I said, a little embarrassed. I hate to be the center of attention, and you don't get much more center of attention than being a bride!

"Don't sweat it," she said kindly. "Just take your time and enjoy it."

"What was your wedding like?" I asked, curious as neither Gwen or Ros had spoken much about their big day. I knew it had been several years ago, but little else.

"Over the top enormous," Rose laughed, rolling her eyes. "Between Gwen's thirty-trillion cousins and my mother who wanted to invite everyone she'd ever met, there was almost three hundred guests."

"Wow," I gasped, frightened even thinking about a wedding that large. "That _is_ huge!"

"Got lots of great pressies, though," she joked with a shrug.

Back in the car, Sawyer drove to The Fairmont where Mom and Bob were waiting, and we were back at Escala in time for lunch. Mom was feeling in a nostalgic mood, so we spent the afternoon remembering old times, and then we commandeered Gail's kitchen, and together we made our favorite choc fudge cookies.

I had a cookie shoved in my mouth as Mom and I toured the guest rooms, discussing which one could be blip's. Christian and I hoped to be in the new house by the time blip was crawling, but I knew Christian wouldn't want blip sleeping in our room for too long. Mom suggested one of the internal rooms, without direct external light, but it seemed a waste to have such a lovely aspect and for blip not to enjoy it – even if he or she could not focus their eyes that far. I eventually decided on the room next along the corridor from Christian and me. It was one of the smallest, although that term was relative when used in relation to Escala, and thanks to the idiosyncratic placement of a support column, the room had the ideal nook for a rocking chair overlooking the Seattle skyline.

"I'll be able to sit there and breastfeed," I'd said softly, my mind already imagining the space decorated, with a small bundle of joy sleeping in the handmade crib my father would fashion for it.

"It's an exciting time," Mom said, hugging me as we stood together in the space.

"I'm scared, Mom," I admitted.

"I'd be worried if you weren't."

* * *

It turned out Christian loved choc fudge cookies as much as Mom and I did.

"You made these?" he asked in awe, eating his third.

"Mom and I did," I affirmed. "But I know the recipe…"

"I'd marry you tomorrow just for that!" Christian teased.

"Lucky I showed you noticed my brains and good looks before I showed you my cooking skills," I responded, enjoying cuddles with my man.

Ray arrived, snatching the last cookie, much to Bob and Christian's annoyance.

"I'll make another batch tomorrow," Mom promised.

"Better make two. Kate and José are partial to them, too," I warned.

"All this time you've been holding out on me," Christian pouted.

"You wait till I make you my self-saucing butterscotch pudding," I whispered, wrapping my arms around him.

Christian closed his eyes and groaned.

* * *

The tour of our new home was excellent. Between Bob, Mom, Ray, and Elliot we came up with some fantastic ideas. Elliot suggested extending the back wall slightly, further pushing it out with a paved terrace. After discussion with Ray, Elliot also proposed extending the upper balcony, too, giving us the best of both worlds. It would retain the original look and feel of the home, but give us more usable space overlooking the water.

I checked the garage, and as I'd anticipated, there was plenty of room for a home for Gail and Taylor as well as a second apartment for the security staff. Because of the sloping block, one end of the garages even boasted a water view.

"Taylor and Gail's apartment should be at this end, so they get the view."

"You're meant to be thinking about us, not the staff."

"I know. But I want us all to be happy here."

"We will be, baby. We're going to be so happy, I promise!"

Back in the cars, we made our way to Bellevue. Sure enough, Grace had gone all out. Inside was like a florist there were so many arrangements, and the table glittered with highly polished glasses and flatware. I was glad my morning sickness was gone because the smell was potent. We'd only just arrived when Mia dragged Christian and me off to one side.

"What the hell is going on with Elena Lincoln?" she demanded.

"What do you mean?" Christian replied.

"I overheard Mom on the phone this morning telling Ruth Wiseman that one of her friends got an infection from Elena Lincoln's salon? She said standards were slipping now you were no longer subsidizing the business?"

"News to me," Christian said innocently, not giving anything away.

"Ugh. That's so gross. I'm glad Franco is opening Liberado soon!"

"Liberado? Is that what he's calling it?" I asked.

"That's what I heard. I think it's a dig at Mrs. Lincoln. Esclava is Spanish for slave. Liberado means freed."

Mia excused herself to locate her father who was no doubt mixing up some of his lethal cocktails.

"Christian? Franco has been _so lovely_ stepping in to help out with my wedding hair and makeup. I know he's being paid, but maybe in that article Kate writes for our wedding, we could include a tasteful getting ready shot with Franco in it? Imagine the publicity it would generate for the new salon, and how pissed off it would make Mrs. Robinson!"

"Miss Steele, I love the way you think," Christian smirked, pulling me hard against him as he gently lowered his lips to mine.


	60. Chapter 60

"Wake up, dude! Taylor's here, and he's got something for you." It was Elliot, and he sounded a little the worse for wear. I think he and Dad stayed up late after I'd gone to bed last night.

I'd been awake for an hour, lying back and just staring at the ceiling of my teenage bedroom. I couldn't wipe the grin from my face. Today I was marrying my first and only love. I bounded down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Taylor would have come from Escala, which meant he'd have seen Ana.

"Morning sir," he said, looking different in casual clothing.

"It's Christian, today, Jason" I corrected, mindful of using his first name as well. It hadn't occurred to me before, but when I'd thought about getting ready at Bellevue with my family it seemed strange that Taylor wouldn't be there. I'd confided as much to Ana, so after dinner last night she'd encouraged me to call Taylor to check whether he'd like to come to Bellevue today and join me for some fishing, a couple of beers and then to get ready for the wedding. He was surprised but accepted immediately. Ana was right. Taylor was an employee, but he was also my friend.

"Come through and put your suit in here," I said, leading him through to one of the guest rooms. "Did you see Ana this morning? How is she?" I asked eagerly.

"When I left only Ana and Gail were up. Kate and José overindulged last night. Ana asked me to give you this," he said, handing me an envelope. For just a moment my heart clenched. What if this was a note telling me why she could not go ahead with our wedding?

I all but snatched the envelope from Taylor's hand, ripping it open to find a plain white embossed card. In her neat, elegant script Ana had written:

 _Saturday 10_ _th_ _September 2011  
The day two hearts become one.  
I love you, Christian. I can't wait to be your wife,  
Anastasia_

I grinned. It was just like Ana to know my thoughts might run away from me this morning.

"She was in good spirits," Taylor reported, recognizing my concern and then relief.

I hadn't wanted to let Ana go when dinner was over last night. We went for a walk in the garden, talking quietly about the future. When I'd finally helped Ana into the car, kissing her goodnight, I'd felt sad. I hated being away from my woman, even for a night.

I'd sat up with Dad, Elliot and Grandpa Trevelyan for an hour before heading to bed. Grandpa Theo was gently teasing me about marrying the first woman I came across. I didn't mind. I was proud Anastasia had so many of my firsts. Maybe not the conventional ones, but she was the first woman I'd ever fallen in love with, and I didn't care who knew it.

Taylor and I wandered into the kitchen to find my mother presiding over the cooker.

"Good morning Taylor," she greeted fondly. "I thought I'd do Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, and Eggs Atlantic this morning. Do any of those appeal? Otherwise, let me know what you'd like."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grey. I'll eat whatever is put in front of me, and have a grateful word to say about it," he replied. "Please don't go to any bother on my behalf."

Mom laughed. Between Dad's low sodium diet, Mia's flirts with vegetarianism and low carb eating, Elliot's tendency to basically inhale his meal (and everyone else's) and my issues with food wastage, meal times were always interesting when we all got together.

"Well, that's good to know, Taylor. How about you boys go set the table on the terrace?"

I dutifully led the way to the sideboard, pointing out the plates, glasses, and dishes we were to lay out. I was closer to thirty than twenty, a billionaire, and getting married in hours. But here at Bellevue, I was still Grace and Carrick's 'boy' – and by default that categorization extended to Taylor. Mom was just inside in the kitchen, so I muttered carefully.

"Take just a small serve, first up. Mom will demand you have a second and possibly a third serving. You need to save space."

"Thanks for the heads up," Taylor chuckled.

When we headed back inside, Mia, Elliot, and Dad were making their way downstairs. Mom was plating our various selections when Grandpa and Grandma arrived. All my closest were here.

"Christian? I thought we'd have brunch, then maybe us men would spend a few hours fishing off the pier while the ladies prepare?" Dad suggested. Experience had proven that the chance of catching anything edible off the pier was somewhere close to zero, so I suspected this was when Dad wanted to impart his wisdom about marriage.

"Sure, Dad," I replied. Like Ana, I still hadn't forgiven my father. I was trying, though.

After one Eggs Florentine, followed by an Eggs Atlantic, I helped Mom clear the table and then followed the other guys down to the pier. The five of us sat with rods and reels, and some beers, and sure enough I received marriage advice from everyone present.

"Why do I have to listen to you, Elliot?! _You've_ never been married!" I snapped.

"True. But you have to admit, I know a _hell of a lot_ about keeping a woman happy," he replied with a cheeky grin.

"Well since the young lady is carrying your child, we know you have what it takes to get the job done," Grandpa Trevelyan announced, pulling no punches. "The thing is – you need to make sure she continues to be satisfied, and _regularly._ It's not just men who enjoy the sex act," he announced, much to the chagrin of pretty much everyone present. "If a man takes the time to _take care of his woman,"_ Grandpa declared, "he'll find the rest of his life runs much more smoothly."

"I hear you, Grandpa!" Elliot whooped enthusiastically.

"You need to put your dick back into your pants and propose to that Katherine, boy," Grandpa said, speaking his mind freely after only one beer. "She's better than you deserve, but somehow she seems to love you!"

Elliot glowered. He hated being told off by Grandpa Trevelyan, yet somehow he was always the one getting in trouble. There was silence, and I looked at Elliot who nodded, so I stepped in.

"El and I went to New York to buy engagement rings together, Grandpa. Elliot's got it all in hand."

"That's right, Pa. I didn't want to steal Christian and Ana's thunder by proposing until after he and Ana were married. I'm going to ask Kate. Soon!"

"Well that's good then," Grandpa Trevelyan said contentedly. "Grandma and I would like more than one great-grandchild. We're not getting any younger, you know!"

By the time we came inside, Franco and his team were there, preparing Mom, Grandma, and Mia. The three were tittering over glasses of champagne, and Franco was at his most flamboyant.

"And here's the man of the hour," he crowed as I walked through the living room with Elliot and Taylor. "I should thank you ten times over. If you hadn't sold your share in Esclava, I would never have found the courage to leave!"

I shrugged. "Mia told me you were starting out on your own?"

"Opening the week after next," Franco replied happily.

"We've already booked our spots for the opening week," Mom chirped. "I wonder how El…"

"Don't say the name!" Franco squeaked in theatrical horror. "You can say she who must not be named, or if you prefer, you can use my term for her. Bitch troll."

Mom actually sniggered when she heard that, earning herself a strange look from Mia. Up until recently, Elena had been part of Mom's close circle of girlfriends. Clearly not anymore.

"There are Italian sandwiches in the kitchen," Mom said, composing herself after catching Mia's look. "Help yourself when you're ready. The photographer will be here in an hour to capture the getting ready shots."

"Then why are you getting ready now?" I asked.

"Because we have to be ready to have the getting ready photos taken, of course!" Mom said, as though that was patently obvious.

"Whatever," Elliot said. "Let's get some sandwiches and another beer. Then let's see if little brother can finally beat me at air hockey."

"You wish! I've won practically every game since I was fifteen."

"Ha! Not likely. Come on, Taylor. You can be the judge, so Christian doesn't cheat!"

* * *

"Christian? The photographer is here," Mom called down the stairs to the basement rec room. Elliot, Taylor and I climbed the stairs. "He'll start with photos of us girls, so go have a shower, and as soon as you're ready the photographer will come in."

2:30 pm. Franco had left quite some time ago to head to Escala with his team. I suppose that was one benefit of being a guy; it took a lot less time to get ready.

I was out of the shower, dried, and had my suit pants on by 2:45. Ana had asked for a few photos of me shirtless, so I called the photographer in. A guy in his early twenties he looked scruffy as hell, but Ana had seen his portfolio and assured me he was a genius with a camera.

"Mr. Grey," he greeted nervously. "Ana's given me a list of shots she'd like so I might stop you from time to time, but otherwise just get ready normally please."

There was nothing normal about getting dressed while some hippy with an eyebrow piercing and long hair was photographing my shoes, cufflinks and even my tie. Before I could put a shirt on, he had me posing shirtless looking out the window, sitting in a chair resting my elbows on my knees looking right at the camera, and even from behind looking into the camera in the reflection of my mirror. I was about to put on my shirt when it suddenly occurred to me that if I was getting photos like this taken of me, Anastasia would be at Escala undergoing a similar experience with José.

"I've got to call her," I growled, picking up my phone. The photographer kept snapping as I waited for Ana to pick up.

"Hello?" Damn. It was Kate.

"Hi Kate, I need to speak to Anastasia, please."

"No can do, Christian. No speaking to the bride before the wedding!"

"Kate, put her on," I snarled, getting close to losing it.

"Fine! Keep your hair on," she giggled. In the background I could hear her call Ana to the phone, telling her I sounded tense.

"Christian?"

"Baby," I sighed. Even hearing her voice soothed me. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you. I _loved_ your present. I'll be wearing it today."

"How are you feeling?" I asked a little nervously.

"Wonderful! They've just finished my hair and makeup, and José is about to start taking my getting dressed photos."

I growled. "I don't like the idea of anyone seeing what's mine." She knew I was referring specifically to José.

"Christian he's moved on. He doesn't feel that way about me anymore."

"Is he going to photograph you in your underwear?" I asked.

"Yes, he is, Christian. But Kate and my mother will be in the room. You have nothing to worry about."

"Ok," I sighed.

"Ok?"

"Yes ok. I trust you, baby."

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"Not nervous. I just want to see you. I missed you last night."

"I missed you too."

I could hear people in the background at her end, so I knew I had to let her go.

"I love you, Miss Steele," I said, using her maiden name for probably the last time. "This is one hell of a ride you've taken me on."

"I could say the same about you, Mr. Grey. I love you, and I'll see you in a couple of hours."

Feeling my equilibrium return, I turned back to the photographer.

"Let's do this."

Once I was dressed, a feat that ended up taking almost forty minutes, I went downstairs to the formal lounge where the photographer took some casual photos of Elliot and me in our shirts and pants. Taylor joined us, and slowly so did the rest of the family. Once the casual images were done, he started on formal pairings. And then it was time.

Despite being off-duty, Taylor quickly sorted us into cars with the additional security he'd arranged for the day. Mom, Dad and Mia in one car, Grandpa and Grandma Trevelyan with the photographer in another. Taylor, Elliot and I climbed into the final vehicle.

"Have you got the rings?" I quizzed Elliot. "And your speech?"

Checking his pockets, Elliot confirmed he had both.

"Then let's go!"

* * *

The church Ana had picked was set in the middle of a pretty, treed churchyard. Not only would it make for picturesque photos, but it also had the advantage of allowing the cars to drive onto the property, protecting us from observation. The lack of press, thus far, was encouraging. Taylor had spoken to Sawyer who was at Escala, and he confirmed there was nothing out of the ordinary there, either.

Reverend Walsh was already there when we arrived. He ran Elliot and me through what would happen and where we needed to stand. And then the first guests arrived. Carla and Bob came first, bringing with them the boutonnières and corsages. The photographer took photos of Mom pinning the boutonnières on for Grandpa, Dad, Elliot and me and then me presenting Mom and Grandma with their corsages. Carla made a point of coming over to tell me Anastasia looked absolutely beautiful and would be here shortly.

Not long after Gail and José arrived, along with Ethan who they had picked up along the way. Then a woman I didn't know appeared, Carla introducing her to me as Ray's long-time employee Lillian. I noticed Gail take her under her wing, the two chatting happily as Ros, Gwen, and Andrea arrived. John and Rhian were not far behind. Mentally running through the guest list, now we were only waiting on Kate, Ray, and Anastasia.

I was standing at the front of the side-chapel with Elliot when I heard Taylor's DEFCON One ringtone. I tensed as Taylor fished his phone from his pocket, listening carefully. He muttered a few words, and then made his way over to me.

"That was Sawyer. All is well, and they're leaving Escala now," Taylor said with a reassuring grin.


	61. Chapter 61

"Are you ready, Miss Steele?" Sawyer asked. I was standing in the great room at Escala with Daddy and Kate, everyone else had already left for the church.

"Annie?" Daddy checked. "It's not too late to back out. We'll get Kate to stall 'em. I can have you in Mexico in just a few hours!" he teased.

I had been starting to get nervous, but that made me laugh.

"I'm ready," I said, carefully lifting the small train on my dress. "Take me to Christian, Sawyer."

Sawyer went downstairs first, bringing the car right up to the lift so when we followed a moment later, I could climb into the vehicle quickly, minimizing the chance of me being observed. I sat in the back with Ray, Kate climbing into the passenger seat. She looked absolutely magnificent, and if Elliot didn't have thoughts in the matrimonial direction after seeing her dressed as she was today, then there was something wrong with him.

"I can't believe my little girl is getting married today," Ray said, grasping my hand as we drove out of the parking garage and through the streets of Seattle to the Capitol Hill church. The weather was fine. Despite a vacillating weather prediction all week, today had dawned bright and sunny with just enough cloud cover to make ideal photo taking conditions José had assured me. Now at 5:00 pm, the sun was lower in the sky, but it was still bright.

"You look so beautiful, Ana," Kate said, turning in her seat to smile at me. "Christian's going to melt when he sees you!"

"You're sure it's not too much?!"

"You're _perfect_ Steele!" Kate replied. "Everything is just perfect!"

We'd had such a busy day. Between Franco and his team, Stephanie with our dresses and Neil with the flowers, we'd had people in and out of the apartment all day. Neil had been delighted by all the cloak and dagger necessary to avoid tipping off the media. I'd suggested that delivering the flowers in his usual brightly emblazoned van might be a little indiscreet, and perhaps couriering them to Escala reception would be a better choice. Instead, the enterprising man had borrowed his brother's meat van and smock, and the bouquets, corsages, and boutonnières had been packed in styrofoam boxes and brought up by Neil and his nephew Alphonse posing as delivery men for his brother's organic butchery.

Lost in my thoughts, we were soon in Capitol Hill. I could see the church, now, and I gripped Daddy's hand tight. He'd been emotional since the moment Mom had brought him in to see me after I was dressed. We'd spent five minutes together, just Daddy and me. Sitting on the edge of the bed I shared with Christian, Ray had told me how proud he was of me. How hard it was to hand me over to another man to protect, and how much he would always love me.

"This is it, Annie," Daddy said, pulling me from my reverie as we pulled into the treed driveway of the church.

The photographer saw us pull up, and dipped inside - presumably to tell everyone we had arrived. Ray got out, coming around to open my door and help me from the car. Kate had our bouquets, passing mine to me. The florist, Neil, had told me he'd intentionally included the same variety of white roses Christian had sent to me after my first day working at SIP. A sweet nod to our past, it seemed like a lifetime ago, now.

"You ready?" Kate asked as Dad was discussing something with Sawyer.

"I can't wait, Kate. I love him," I said, starting to tear up. I just wanted to see Christian.

"You do," she admitted with a laugh, hugging me hard. "And he loves you. We can all see it."

"Really?"

"It's so obvious – you're one another's happily ever after."

Kate, Ray and I moved to stand inside the vestibule. The photographer took some last photos before moving into the church ready to capture the walking down the aisle moments. We heard the recording of Pachelbel's Canon in D starting. I had seriously considered a string quartet, but the more suppliers and people we involved, the more like our secret was to be exposed, so in the end, I'd decided on a recording.

Reverend Walsh asked everyone to stand, and a few moments later we reached a specific part of the music that was Kate's cue. She stepped out into the center of the archway at the end of the aisle, pausing for a moment to let everyone see her, then she slipped out of my sight, walking forward toward the altar. Less than a minute later, there was a swell in the music, and then it was our turn.

"I got you, Annie," Daddy promised as he guided me to stand in the archway.

In front of me were smiling faces. I saw Lillian first, then my eyes wandered, seeing the Greys, The Flynns, Ethan, José and Andrea, Gail and Taylor, Gwen and Ros, Mom and Bob, Kate and the Reverend. And then my eyes found Christian's. He stood at the end of the aisle on the right, Elliot beside him, with a look of awe on his face. I'd never seen his beautiful gray eyes so intense, yet at the same time so joyous and certain. The word exultant came to mind. He was smiling tenderly, and I couldn't tear my gaze from his as Ray gently led me forward, step by step bringing me closer to my man.

At the end of the aisle, Ray stopped, turning to give me a sweet kiss before stepping back, taking my hand and placing it in Christian's. I don't think I'd breathed since I stepped foot in the church, but as soon as my hand was in Christian's, everything felt right again.

"You look so beautiful, baby," he murmured, his thumb stroking my hand carefully as we stood together in front of Reverend Walsh and God.

I wish I could say I remembered all Revered Walsh said, the singing of the hymns, the prayers or even our vows. I barely noticed anyone else; the whole service I was looking at Christian, and he was looking at me. Before I knew it, we'd made our solemn promises, and then we were man and wife.

"Christian – you may kiss your bride!"

" _Finally!"_ he exclaimed, earning laughter from our family and friends as he enthusiastically lowered his lips to mine.

"I love you, Mrs. Grey," he whispered when we finally pulled apart.

"I love you too, Mr. Grey."

We looked out at the grinning faces of our family before following Reverend Walsh, Elliot and Kate into a side room where we all signed the register and our marriage certificate.

"I can't believe my baby brother is married! Congrats, man! Welcome to the family, Ana!"

I stepped forward, letting Elliot kiss my cheek and then he shook Christian's hand.

"Congratulations, Christian," Kate grinned, signing her name on the final piece of paperwork with a flourish. "I guess that makes you Mrs. Grey now?" she continued, stepping forward to hug me.

"I love the sound of that," Christian replied, stopping to kiss me again as soon as Kate had released me.

"Plenty of time for that later, you two," Reverend Walsh said indulgently. "I think your family and friends want to greet you."

We followed Reverend Walsh back out to the altar, standing hand in hand as he announced us, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Grey. Christian led me back up the aisle, grinning as our nearest and dearest applauded. I noticed Grace frantically dabbing at her eyes, and even Carrick seemed to be pleased. We had the chance to greet everyone personally outside, our family and group photos taking no time at all. A blessing of a tiny wedding, I suppose. The other photographer was going to hang around, taking different social combinations, as Christian and I, followed by Sawyer, went with José to have our individual pictures taken.

"Alone at last," Christian joked, as we followed José into the churchyard. We were far enough from the road that we would not be easily identified. José found numerous picturesque places for us to pose, and Christian and I enjoyed the quiet time together.

"You're mine now," I told Christian as we posed sitting on a garden bench in the churchyard. Christian was sitting on the seat, and I was seated across his lap. I'd almost forgotten José and Sawyer as we nuzzled against each other.

"And you're mine," he countered.

"Forever," I promised. And I meant it.

We moved back through the churchyard. By the time we got back to the church, everyone had already departed for pre-dinner drinks at Canlis. I thought that's where we were headed, too, but when Christian, José and I climbed into the car, Sawyer drove us south into Seattle to another location. The Arctic Club. Parking in a service alley, José and Christian helped me lift my skirt and train to keep them clean as Sawyer led us up through a goods elevator through to the Northern Lights Dome Room. I'd never been there, before. The space was magnificent, even completely empty. The outside was carpeted, but in the middle was a large dance floor. Entirely lit up ready for a function, the hall was magical.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey? Why don't you enjoy your first dance together as a married couple?" José suggested sweetly, as Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling In Love' started playing over the speaker system.

Christian lead me to the dance floor in the middle of the empty ballroom. As he took me in his arms, I was almost oblivious to José circling us with his camera.

"You organized this?" I asked my husband, wide-eyed in astonishment.

"I did, Mrs. Grey. I've always loved this space. It wasn't practical for our reception; however, I wanted our first dance to be here."

I hitched up my train as Christian clasped me so very close as he guided me around the dancefloor. My eyes didn't leave his as we held each other, lips joining sweetly as the King crooned words of love. In those few minutes, I ran through everything in my mind. The interview. Drunk dialing Christian. The Heathman. The night at Escala when Christian made me _his._ The playroom. The belt. The horrible weeks when Christian owned my heart, yet we were apart. I remembered New York, and the relief I felt when Christian had stormed into my room at the hospital. How I knew, as soon as he appeared, that I was safe and no matter _what,_ Christian would always take care of me.

I moved my head to rest on Christian's shoulder as I recalled the next morning; the two of us at Christian's New York apartment as we joined again. Our delight at being together after far too long apart. Then I remembered Leila, and Elena, and the drama surrounding them. But ultimately everything we'd been through had brought us closer together.

I thought about discovering I was pregnant, and Christian's birthday. How the mercurial Mr. Grey had stunned me, even then, by welcoming my pregnancy and our blip. I remembered our trip to New York with Kate and Elliot and our unbelievably romantic date at the New York library. Finally, I thought about the day Christian proposed at our new house on Lake Washington; how I'd known, without a doubt, we were meant to be. I was so happy almost didn't want to leave for our reception. I was so content here, in our own little bubble of love.

"No matter what we face. No matter what we have to endure – remember this, baby," Christian begged as the music came to an end. "You and me – in love and together we'll take on the world!"

"We will," I promised. "You and I. Forever."

We sealed our promise with a kiss. José took advantage of numerous other photo opportunities in the room and adjacent bar, which was also empty before we slipped down the service elevator and back into the waiting SUV.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey? Are you ready to proceed to the reception?" Sawyer asked, smiling as we grinned at our new joined titles.

"Yes, thank you, Sawyer," I answered sweetly.

The vehicle's windows were blacked out, so I was not worried we'd be observed as we traveled back up through the city to Canlis. I was curled up against Christian's side as we went, his fingers toying with the diamond tennis bracelet he'd gifted me for my birthday.

"I never had a proper chance to say thank you for my birthday present. I love it – it's so beautiful."

Christian laughed. "I quizzed Gail a hundred times, and she refused to tell me anything about your dress. Eventually, Taylor told me to back off! I just wanted to choose something that matched…"

"Trust me, a bracelet of diamonds matches _anything,"_ I joked.

"That's what Gail said," Christian replied, threading his fingers through mine and bringing my fingers to his lips.

At Canlis Sawyer parked at the side, and we used the private entrance to head upstairs to the Executive Room. José went up first, alerting those within that we'd arrived. We'd hired a band for the evening, the band leader also playing the role of MC.

"Ready?" Christian asked as we stood outside the double doors waiting to be announced.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I said, my hand and heart in his.

"Family and friends, can I please present to you your hosts, the new Mr. and Mrs. Christian Grey."

"That's us, baby," Christian replied with a grin, leading me through into the dining room to applause. We were both beaming as Christian held out my seat, Kate helping me arrange my train and veil. Then Christian sat beside me, and we each accepted a glass of non-alcoholic champagne.

"To us," Christian said quietly, and we toasted then sipped at our wine as our entrées were being served.

Because our party was so small, we'd elected to have everyone at one long table. Christian and I were seated in the middle. Kate was to my left, Elliot to Christian's right. Everyone was eating and drinking and chatting merrily. The band was playing elegant background music, and the sun was getting lower in the sky as it prepared to set over the Seattle skyline.

"Happy?" Kate asked, grimacing theatrically as Christian shared some of his entrée with me.

"Blissfully," I nodded, holding out my fork to feed Christian some of my meal. We chatted with those seated close to us, and then our entrées were being taken away, and Ray stood, ready to say a few words.

He waited for quiet and then he commenced.

"When Christian asked for my blessing to ask Annie to marry him, I told him that he would never be good enough for my little girl. I know he's crazy rich, comes from a good family, was considered Seattle's most eligible bachelor and looks like an Adonis. What can I say? When it comes to my princess, I set the bar high!"

Everyone laughed, especially Christian. It was just like Daddy to say something like that to him.

"I also said that provided he put Annie first at every opportunity, then we'd be good. Well, son, now you've gone and married my little girl, know I am going to be holding you to that promise. Your job, now, is to love and protect Annie and support her in all her hopes and dreams. Now I know you're gonna stuff up; you're a man – you're _bound to get it wrong sometimes."_

Everyone laughed again. I was so surprised. Daddy hated public speaking, but so far, he was doing a decent job of it.

"But when you do, there are two things I want you to remember. The first is to remember Annie as she looks today – so beautiful and filled with love and hope for her future with you. Remember your beautiful bride, and all the trust she is putting in you, and do your best to live up to her hopes. When you're angry, or the two of you can't agree, think about this beautiful woman and do your best to make her smile again like she is today. Because when a man has a good woman who loves him like that, he has the most precious thing in the world."

Christian was nodding, taking my father's words seriously. Looking up and down the table I could see others watching Ray and smiling, too.

"Annie – I've loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I might not be your biological father, but I've thanked God every day that Carla brought such a beautiful, kind soul into the world and into my life. One thing being your father has taught me is that love multiplies, not divides. That's illustrated by the people here today helping you both celebrate your marriage and future life together. Your love has joined you as people, and us as your family and friends. I thought the day you married I'd feel like I was losing my daughter, but that's not how it feels. Today it feels like I'm gaining a son."

Daddy turned to address his final remarks to Christian.

"Which brings me to the second thing I want you to remember, Christian. I want you to remember that _I'll be watching._ We're on the same team, now, and like I said – as long as you put Annie first and give her the love and respect she deserves, then we're good!"

Ray paused to give people the opportunity to laugh.

"Needless to say, it gives me great pleasure to ask you all to raise your glasses to Christian and Ana, Mr. and Mrs. Grey!"

Everyone toasted us, although I knew Ray meant that he'd said about keeping an eye on Christian, and Christian knew that, too! My husband leaned over and kissed me before standing to respond to the toast.

"Thank you, Ray, for those heartfelt words. I'd like to start by thanking you and Carla for raising your daughter Anastasia to be such an intelligent, articulate, beautiful and loving young woman. It's hard for me to even remember how my life was before she fell into it, but I will be forever thankful that she did. I didn't know how much better life could be until Anastasia showed me.

"I'd also like to thank you for the warm welcome into your family. As you all know, this is the second family who has taken me in as one of their own. It seems hard to believe that one man could be so lucky, yet here I stand as the husband of the most amazing woman, in front of our wonderful family and closest friends and it's impossible to feel anything other than blessed.

"On behalf of my wife and me, thank you all for being here to celebrate with us today. Anastasia and I appreciate your love and support, and our special day is all the richer for having you to share it with. You've all played a part in getting us to where we are today, and for that, you have our thanks and appreciation. We'd especially like to thank our parents, Carla, Ray, Grace, and Carrick for being there for us, for guiding us, for believing in us and supporting us over the years. You might not always have understood our vision, but you trusted us and have given us a wonderful start to life. We know how lucky we are to have you.

"I'd also like to thank Anastasia's maid of honor, Kate. For getting my bride here today in one piece, for always being such a strong, unwavering support for Ana, and also for getting the flu which ultimately led to me meeting Anastasia when she came to interview me for the college newspaper in her place. Anastasia asked in that interview whether I was gay – I hope today finally puts _that_ question to rest!"

I giggled, remembering with mortification how embarrassed I'd been to ask Christian about his sexual proclivities. If only I'd known!

"Finally, I'd like to thank my bride, the love of my life, my _more._ It feels like my life started the moment you became a part of it. I love you, baby. I'm always going to love you. Thank you for trusting me with your heart. I'll close by letting a more skilled orator say everything I feel. From your favorite author Thomas Hardy: _'I shall do one thing in this life – one thing certain – that is, love you, and long for you, and keep wanting you till I die.'_ Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to my beautiful bride Anastasia."

* * *

If you'd like to see Ana's dress, checkout the And So I Ran album on my Facebook page:  
www facebook com/ swimmingthesamedeepwaters


	62. Chapter 62

When I saw Anastasia's pretty blush as we toasted her, I couldn't help but kiss her again. Then I sat beside my bride, taking her hands in mine as we prepared ourselves for Elliot's speech.

"Having been to a few weddings already this year, I've noticed that all the best man speeches set out to denigrate and cast aspersions on the character of the groom. While it seems cruel and completely unnecessary, who am _I_ to fight tradition!? Seriously, though – I was honored when Christian asked me to stand with him today, if for no other reason than that he's finally admitted that _I'm_ the best man."

I rolled my eyes as Elliot grinned at the resulting laughter. He was a born comedian and was no doubt loving this.

"Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to offer my support to Christian and Ana. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who thought they'd never see this day happen. But what can I say? When a man meets someone as wonderful as my now sister-in-law Anastasia, they'd be an idiot not to try and win her heart, and one thing my brother is not is an idiot… Despite his behavior at times!"

Ana was giggling, and it was the sweetest sound I'd heard. She squeezed my hand as I settled in for a dose of Elliot's sometimes questionable humor.

"Now while I know Christian would like you to believe he has always been the poised, successful businessman, philanthropist, colleague, friend, son, grandson and now husband that he is today, in the interests of full disclosure, there are a few things I think you need to know about, Ana. For starters, somewhere in the depths of the study at Bellevue there exists a videotape of Christian during his shortlived but highly amusing rap phase. Not content to just _listen_ to rap music, Christian was convinced he was going to be Seattle's version of Eminem, and he liked to give performances for the family. In fact, I thought maybe you'd like to give it a go again tonight, Christian? No…? Oh well – just watch the tape, Ana – it's _hysterical._ And don't worry – I threw out his denim overalls… you can thank me later!"

My traitorous family was howling with laughter at this recollection, and Ros was openly offering my mother a sizeable donation to a charity of her choice if she could arrange a public screening.

"Now I'd like to say that's my only funny recollection about Christian, but as his brother, and often partner in crime, that would be a lie. As most of you will know, Christian can be quite competitive – sometimes to a fault. One such occasion that springs to mind was when he was thirteen, and we decided to see who could eat more chilies. But in typical Christian fashion, he declared he would eat two chilies for every one I consumed. In retrospect, I suppose I probably _should_ have warned Christian the smaller the chili, the spicier it would be, but since he was eating twice as many as me, it was kinder to let him have the small ones, right?! Christian learned a few important lessons that day… One – big guys _do_ cry. Two – if it hurts going in, _it hurts going out._ Three – never mess with your big brother. I know about stuff!"

I laughed. Elliot had got me good that time. It was over a year before I could even think about eating spicy food again!

"So, we've talked about some of Christian's less spectacular decisions – now it's time to talk about when he's got it right. Specifically, his relationship with Ana. Now you've all heard the story of how they met – when Ana interviewed Christian for the college newspaper. What some of you might _not_ know about is one of their subsequent meetings. Christian had not yet told anyone about Ana. He and I were staying in Portland and were having dinner one night when he got a phone call from some girl who I now know as my sister-in-law Anastasia Grey. She was out with friends celebrating her final exams and called to suggest Christian join her. I should have known, then, that Anastasia was someone special because I don't mind telling you, Christian was halfway to the car before I'd even had a chance to stand up! When I saw Christian with Ana that night, I knew my brother was falling in love. I don't know whether he knew it, just then, but the way he was with Anastasia was all the confirmation I needed. Christian is my brother, but he's also my best friend, and I was delighted to see him find someone to love and care for. Someone special who he can share his life with."

Elliot stopped and nodded at me, raising his glass slightly. I appreciated his judicious editing of the events of that evening. No one who wasn't there needed to know Ana had drunk dialed me, or that she'd spewed in a flower planter. And I certainly didn't think Ana would appreciate everyone else knowing I'd spent the night with her at The Heathman, even though I didn't do anything beyond watching her sleep.

"That was also the night I met the beautiful Katherine Kavanagh; Ana's best friend, my gorgeous girlfriend and Ana's maid of honor tonight. Babe, you look so beautiful, and I'd like to thank Christian for his earlier remarks. You are a caring friend, confidant, and girlfriend. Anastasia is lucky to have you, and so am I. Thank you for being there to support Ana and my little brother as they planned this special day!"

Elliot turned to smile at a red-cheeked Kate, while Ana was grinning. There was no doubt that Elliot was every bit as smitten with Kate as I was with Ana. I wonder if Kate had any idea that Elliot already had a ring?

"In closing, I'd like to come back to a point Ray made earlier. Love multiplies not divides. Christian and Ana's love has brought us here together today. I know you, like me, celebrate two such wonderful people finding the person who completes them. Please join me in toasting Christian and Ana; my brother and his gorgeous bride."

I was relieved that was it. Knowing Elliot, I'd expected so much worse! Kate raised her eyebrows, and her glass, to me. It seems she may have contributed to or edited, the speech, in which case I owed her big time!

Elliot leaned down and kissed his girl, and I wondered how soon I might be called on to make a similar speech at their nuptials? Elliot, being a lot more social than me, had numerous male friends to draw upon as best man, but his speech tonight confirmed what I already knew. He was my best friend, and I his. Thanks to Ana, I could see that now.

"Thanks, Lelliot." I shook my brother's hand and pulled him in for a hug. We'd never embraced before, but it felt good. I'd barely registered that I was able to accept Elliot's affection without pain when Mia threw herself at us.

"Me too!" she demanded, putting her head on my chest as she weaseled her way between us. I stared at Anastasia in astonishment as my little sister cuddled between Elliot and me. Mom's eyes were welling with happy tears, and I was only just aware of the photographer taking photos of the three of us. It was a relief when the servers appeared ready to serve our mains, and the three of us broke apart. I'd only just sat down when Taylor appeared by my side.

"Christian? The team has checked in, and so far, so good. There is no sign of the press outside, at Escala, or anywhere else."

"Thanks, but you're off duty, Jason," I reminded him.

"Off duty or not, they're still my team, and it's important to all of us that this goes off without a hitch."

"Thank you. Not just for today. For _every_ day. I know I don't make your lives easy," I admitted. Ana squeezed my hand as she listened in to our conversation.

"You've been a lot easier to get along with since Mrs. Grey came along," Taylor admitted in an uncharacteristic moment of candor.

At Ana's insistence, Taylor would not be joining us on our honeymoon. Instead, we'd gifted him and Gail two weeks at our house in Aspen as a paid vacation. They were leaving for there tomorrow. We'd done likewise for Andrea who was planning to take her sister and mother once Taylor and Gail returned. Pre Ana, it would not have occurred to me to treat my staff for a job well done; but she'd rightly pointed out it was a small gesture to thank them for all the times they went above and beyond.

Our main meals were delicious, as was the dessert. With the formalities over it was time for dancing. Anastasia and I had our second 'first dance;' this time to _At Last._ Swaying to the music in the middle of the dancefloor we were again in our own world.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going on honeymoon, now?" Ana asked.

"No," I grinned. I wasn't going to tell her until we were on the GEH plane. "That's for me to know, and you to wonder about, Mrs. Grey."

"I love you calling me that," Anastasia murmured, her lips pressed against my neck, causing my dick to twitch hopefully.

The song finished, and I had to hand my wife over to Ray while I danced with my mother.

"It's been a lovely day, darling," Mom said as we danced to _It's a Wonderful World._ "You take care of that girl, alright? You hit the jackpot when you found her."

"I know, Mom. I will."

"I know how you can get, Christian. Marriage and parenting together are all about compromise. It's better to be happy than right," she said eyebrows lifted meaningfully.

"Got it. I don't want to fuck this up."

I was almost relieved when I was able to pass Mom off to dance with Elliot while I danced with Mia. By the time I'd danced with Kate, Grandma, Carla, Gail, Lillian, Ros, Gwen, Andrea and Rhian it was nearly time for Ana and me to depart.

"My turn," I said, holding my hand out to Ana as she finished a dance with Ethan Kavanagh.

"Hmm – I was missing you!" Ana replied, slipping her arms around my neck as the band started the final song – an instrumental version of _Somewhere Over the Rainbow._

"Have you had a good time, baby?" I asked my bride.

"The best," she replied, her head tilted back to look me in the eye.

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be," I quoted.

"Browning? You impress me, Mr. Grey."

"Your literary prowess must be rubbing off on me, Mrs. Grey…" I said, choosing not to reveal that I'd been brushing up on my English Literature between meetings at Grey House. "Are you ready to start our honeymoon and our married life?" I asked, the song coming to an end.

"I can't wait!"

"I want you all to myself," I whispered in her ear. "For a full month! Besides - I've been wondering just what you're wearing under that dress…"

The MC announced we were about to leave, and our guests lined up for final handshakes and hugs. Ana handed her bouquet to my mother, and Kate helped her unclip her veil. Then we gave Kate permission to choose three photos to release to the press along with the announcement that we'd already approved. Kate was all but bouncing on the spot.

"I've always dreamed about telling them to stop the presses," she laughed. "This is going to be the scoop of the year!"

"Just give us half an hour to get airborne, Kavanagh," I cautioned. "I want to be on our way before the news breaks."

Ana hugged Carla and then Ray.

"You look after our girl, Grey," Ray said, using a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. "And our precious grandbaby."

"You bet. Same team now," I said, shaking Ray's hand.

I helped Ana down the stairs to the car where Sawyer was waiting. "Boeing Field, please Sawyer," I directed, settling into the back seat beside my wife. It was late, and the roads were relatively quiet. Sawyer took us along the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and we looked out over the glittering lights to the dark water beyond.

At the airfield, we pulled into the hangar alongside the waiting jet. As Sawyer transferred our luggage, I helped Ana from the vehicle then picked her up, carrying her up the stairs and onto the plane, much to the amusement of the pilots, cabin attendant, Ryan, and Prescott.

Ryan, Prescott, and Sawyer would be joining us as security on our honeymoon. I smiled thinking about Prescott's happy tears when Taylor and I had asked her whether she would consider working security for a month in England and perhaps Europe as Ana and I honeymooned. She'd never been overseas and, like Ana, London was her dream destination.

"Put me down!" Ana giggled, so I returned her to her feet in the cabin, nuzzling at the side of her neck. We had the main cabin to ourselves, but I couldn't wait until we were airborne, and I could take Ana back to the bedroom and make love to her as my wife for the first time.

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Grey," our attendant Natalia greeted us. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

"We're fine thanks, Natalia. We'll retire once we're at cruising altitude."

In minutes Ana and I were strapped in, and the plane was taxying down the runway, and then we lifted into the dark night sky. Our fingers were threaded together, and we were looking out the windows as the Seattle lights disappeared beneath us.

"Ok. We're airborne. _Now_ , will you tell me where we're going?" Ana begged.

"Well, our first stop is Canada…"

"Our first stop? _Where_ in Canada?!"

"Somewhere in Quebec, I think. But that's just to refuel. Our final destination is London."


	63. Chapter 63

As soon as we leveled off, Christian took me back into the bedroom. I expected him to throw himself at me, but instead, he helped me out of the lace coat of my dress, dropping tender kisses on the back of my neck as he sat me down on the edge of the bed, starting to pull the many bobby pins out of my hair.

"Ugh! That feels good," I moaned as Franco's fancy updo was slowly deconstructed by my husband's dexterous fingers.

"You looked breathtakingly beautiful, tonight," Christian praised me. "But now I want you al naturale."

Once my hair was loose, Christian helped me up, undoing the zip at the back of my dress. I lowered the gown slowly, stepping out of it. I was wearing an Agent Provocateur corselet in white satin complete with a white satin thong, suspenders, and nude stockings. Christian growled possessively as soon as he saw me.

"That fucker José saw you dressed like _that?!"_ he all but shouted.

"I had a robe on," I reassured him. "No man sees me like this but _you."_

"Damn right," he snapped, running his eyes and then his hands along the outline of my body. I looked down, noticing his hands resting on the swell of our baby on my abdomen. It hadn't been noticeable in my dress, but I was starting to get an unmistakable baby bump. "I want to see you naked, Mrs. Grey," Christian crooned in my ear as he started undoing the hooks and eyes at the back of the corselet one by one. I helped by releasing the clips on my stockings. Undoing the last clasp, the lingerie fell away from my body, leaving me naked other than my hosiery. I moved up on the bed, my eyes trained on his as I sensually removed the delicate silk sheers, making an erotic show of it.

Meanwhile Christian had shrugged off his jacket, loosening his tie and then taking it off altogether. Button by button, he undid his dress shirt, working by feel as he was busy watching me. His shirt shucked to one side, Christian made short work of his pants, and soon we were on the bed naked.

"It's cold in here," I shivered, the cool air causing my skin to tighten and my nipples pebble.

"I'll keep you warm," Christian promised, nonetheless pulling back the bedclothes so we could cuddle beneath them. "I want to make love to you, Mrs. Grey."

Cuddled under the covers together, I relaxed as Christian ran his hands over my curves. His hands kept straying to my belly, and I knew it was fascinating him now my shape was changing.

"It's alright," I explained gently. "We don't have to change anything, yet."

"I don't want to hurt either of you," Christian explained, seemingly relieved that I'd raised the issue.

"We're ok, for now. You don't have to be gentle with me, just be careful not to lean on my bump. In months to come, it will be easier from behind or me on top. I'll let you know," I promised.

Christian nodded almost shyly, then we started kissing. Sweet, loving pecks that turned into open-mouthed kisses. We were lying facing one another as I hitched my leg over Christian's hip, bringing my opening tantalizingly close to Christian's thick cock.

"I've dreamed of this ever since I asked you to be mine," Christian admitted, pulling me hard against him before rolling me onto my back. Propping himself up on an elbow, he ran his fingertips the length of my slit. "Always so ready," he said approvingly, hovering over me before sinking his shaft into me with one firm, determined thrust.

"Christian!" I moaned, grabbing his hair and pulling his mouth to mine.

"Easy, baby," he replied, pulling back with a devilish grin. "We have hours…"

My head was resting on Christian's chest, and I was dozing naked in his arms when there was a knock on the cabin door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey? You need to prepare for landing, please," Natalia announced. Reluctantly we climbed out of bed. Our luggage was already in the room, so I opened my bag to see Gail had packed some stylish loungewear, clean underwear and a pair of Converse right on top, apparently anticipating I would need them on the plane. She was always so thoughtful! I quickly dressed, Christian doing likewise, and we made our way back out into the main cabin taking our seats.

"We won't be in Quebec long. Maybe thirty minutes," Christian explained as we started our descent. We touched down smoothly, taxying over to a hangar.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grey, it is protocol for the plane to be empty of passengers as it refuels. There is a car that will take you to a private room in the terminal," Natalia explained as the outer door was opened, and the stairs extended.

We disembarked, Prescott and Ryan leading us over to a car which drove us to the terminal. Settling into a plain room with a few sofas and a tray with a fresh pressed coffee, and a cup of Twinnings English Breakfast tea, bag out, Christian brought out his iPad and was logging on to The Seattle Times website to get an electronic version of the Sunday edition.

"Kate got her scoop," Christian announced with a grin, pulling me onto his lap so we could read the headline together.

 _ **BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR BUSINESSMAN TIES THE KNOT**_

 _Twenty-eight-year-old billionaire businessman Christian Grey, Owner and CEO of Seattle based Grey Enterprises Holdings, has surprised many by marrying his twenty-three-year-old fiancée Anastasia Steele only days after they announced their engagement. The two were married by Mr. Grey's family priest, Reverend Walsh, in an intimate late afternoon ceremony at St. Thomas' in Capitol Hill before enjoying their reception with close family and friends in a private room at Canlis yesterday evening._

 _Mr. Grey, the adopted second son of prominent Seattle lawyer Carrick Grey and his pediatrician wife Grace Trevelyan Grey, made his first million before he was twenty-one, and has long been considered Seattle's most eligible bachelor. His bride, the daughter of Ray Steele of Montesano and Carla Adams of Savannah, is a recent graduate of WSU in Literature and works at Seattle Independent Publishing._

 _The couple's union was witnessed by their closest family and friends, with fewer than twenty-five guests invited to attend the illustrious event. The groom's elder brother, Elliot Grey, served as his Best Man while Anastasia was supported by her best friend, Katherine Kavanagh, as Maiden of Honor._

 _The Seattle Times can exclusively reveal that the wedding had been planned in secret over several months, with guests and wedding suppliers sworn to absolute secrecy._

" _It was all very exciting," Neil Horsham, owner of Brilliant Bayside Blooms revealed. "I couldn't tell a living soul! But I wasn't surprised when the former Miss Steele rang to ask if I could help them with their special day. I knew there was love in the air! Ever since they first started dating, Mr. Grey has frequently called to order arrangements to be delivered to the now Mrs. Grey. The two of them are very devoted. It's a real-life fairytale romance, and just lovely to see!"_

 _Mr. Horsham was able to confirm Anastasia chose white roses, gardenias, and freesias in a long trailing bouquet, with matching_ _boutonnieres,_ _corsages, and venue arrangements._

 _The new Mrs. Grey wore an A-line white gown with a lace overcoat by local couture designer Stephanie Pierce, her Maiden of Honor wearing a silver-gray dress by the same designer. It is understood Miss Steele prepared at the couple's penthouse in Escala, while Mr. Grey spent the night before the wedding at his family's home in Bellevue._

" _It was such a busy day!" commented Franco Avolio, owner and principal stylist at the exclusive salon Liberado and the man charged with helping the billion-dollar bride prepare for her nuptials. "Our team started at the Grey family house assisting Mr. Grey's sister, mother, and grandmother with their preparations. Then we moved across to Escala to help Anastasia and the other ladies there get ready. The new Mrs. Grey is such a delight to work with. A natural beauty, she has a stylish grace about her - and she's so elegant! I can see her wedding selections influencing trends as other brides-to-be try to emulate her style."_

 _Friends who attended the intimate wedding and reception said it was a joyous celebration of a young couple very much in love._

" _As a photographer, I get to see a lot of couples, but I can honestly say I've never seen a couple as enraptured as Anastasia and Christian," said_ _José Rodriguez_ _, a longtime friend of the bride and one of several photographers capturing images from their day. "There's a connection between them that's palpable," Mr._ _Rodriguez explained. "While the wedding ceremony was at Capitol Hill, and their reception at Canlis, Mr. Grey arranged for them to travel to the Northern Lights Ballroom at The Arctic Club for a private first dance. It's such a beautiful space and having it to ourselves was a treat."_

 _Grey Enterprises Holdings were approached for a statement and confirmed the union, stating "We are pleased to confirm that Christian Grey married the love of his life Anastasia Steele in a private ceremony yesterday in Capitol Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Grey are honeymooning at an undisclosed location. The team at GEH and its subsidiaries wish the couple every happiness and a long life together."_

I looked at the images Kate and José had selected. The enormous main image was a photo of Christian and me in the Northern Lights Ballroom. In the center of the room, under the stained-glass ceiling, Christian and I were right in the middle of the dancefloor, staring at one another in adoration as we danced. There was a single shaft of sunlight shining through the magnificent ceiling above, the two of us bathed in its light. There were several other pictures with the article; a close up of my bouquet, a picture of Christian and I walking back up the aisle, plus the two of us in a private moment in the churchyard stealing a kiss. Finally, there was a getting ready picture of me in a satin gown, posing next to Neil with my bouquet as Franco was artfully placing the veil in my hair.

"Baby! You look so beautiful!"

I smiled shyly at my husband. Even though we'd approved the bulk of the article beforehand, it was still a surprise seeing it in print.

"Hopefully it was enough to get Kate out of the shit with her editor," I replied, switching on my phone and rolling my eyes as it pinged again and again with incoming messages. I checked out Kate's first, one of which was a photo of her holding a print copy of the newspaper. We really had made the front page. Literally, half the page was taken up by the Northern Lights Ballroom picture, with the article and smaller photos beneath. By the way she was grinning ear to ear, I was guessing the scoop had her in the good books.

I quickly scrolled through my other messages, most of which were congratulations from people who hadn't been at the wedding. Casey had merely sent two thumbs up emojis along with several love hearts.

José had sent fifteen images he'd captured, explaining he'd edit them, and the others, while we were on honeymoon. He'd done an outstanding job, and I couldn't wait to see the entire collection; especially the getting ready photos of Christian his friend had taken.

Deleting the other messages one by one I came upon a message I hadn't expected. It was series of pictures from my mother-in-law Grace. I opened them, confused, at first at what it meant. The first was a folded copy of today's The Seattle Times newspaper on a doormat. It was folded so the ballroom image was visible. Next to it was a small floral arrangement. Grace's corsage from the wedding, if I had to take a guess.

The next image was taken from further back, showing a large, stately home that I was not familiar with. I could see the newspaper and flowers lying on the front doormat.

The final images made it all make sense. The first of which was the same house, this time with the front door open, and a woman with a dressing on her face standing looking down at the doorstep. The final photo was a close up of that woman, Elena, still in the doorway holding the newspaper and reading the article with a look of horror on her face.

"Your mother's been busy," I commented, handing my phone across to Christian who scrolled through the images one by one, roaring with laughter when he got to the final photo.


	64. Chapter 64

"Mr. Grey? Can I see you for a minute?" Ryan asked. I was sitting in our suite in Claridge's enjoying a late breakfast with Ana. We'd been in London for almost a fortnight but were today flying to Shannon in Ireland. We'd been so busy with all the sights of London that I felt a change of pace was warranted, so I'd booked us a couple of nights at an isolated five-star cottage on the Cliffs of Moher. Stocked with gourmet foods, books, logs for the open fireplaces and with magnificent, uninterrupted views of the ocean, I planned to spend forty-eight hours in bed balls deep in my wife.

"Certainly, Ryan," I replied, giving Ana a reassuring grin as I moved into another part of the suite, out of her earshot.

"I have Taylor and your father on conference," Ryan announced ominously, his eyes not meeting mine. I did the mental calculations. It was half-past nine in the morning, here, which meant it was one thirty in the morning in Seattle. Fuck. I took the proffered phone.

"Grey," I greeted. I knew, without being told, a middle of the night call from Taylor and my father did not bode well, especially since Taylor was not due back from Aspen until tomorrow.

"Christian. There's been a serious development here that you need to know about," my father announced without preamble. "A little over twenty-four hours ago, Elena Lincoln's remaining salon suffered a catastrophic fire. It seemed innocent enough, at first, so there was no need to inform you. However, the authorities investigated and quickly determined it was arson. As part of their inquiries, it's become apparent the salon was trading insolvent, and Elena has been detained under suspicion of arson for insurance fraud."

I grunted my understanding, unsure how this necessitated my attention.

"The authorities raided Mrs. Lincoln's home," Taylor added, taking over the explanation. "As part of their investigation, they seized Mrs. Lincoln's laptop. They were looking for evidence of the financial insolvency and that she'd planned the fire, which they found. However, they _also_ found evidence of child pornography as well as images and videos of her having intercourse with underage boys."

My heart seized in my chest. I'd always feared it. More than Elena's punishments themselves, I'd feared disclosure. My parents knew what had happened, and at least part of what I'd endured, and Anastasia knew everything. Yet I feared everyone else knowing. Elliot. Mia. Andrea. Ray and Carla. People would see me differently if they knew I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse. My stomach was churning, and it was all I could do to stop myself regurgitating my breakfast onto the Axminster carpet beneath me.

"Can they use it? In court? If the warrant was for financial information…"

"The judge wrote it up for 'signs of criminal activity'" my father explained. "She's being charged. I have contacts in the police department, and so far, they've found nothing on the hard drive about you other than proof Elena was defrauding you as a silent partner in her salons."

"There's no…?"

"Not so far. It appears the laptop is three years old, and there's nothing on there from before that time," Dad said delicately.

"Dad? What should I do?" I asked, reaching out to my father for help for the first time since I'd pitched for his support when I'd hoped to start GEH.

"Enjoy your honeymoon, son," Carrick replied fiercely. "Taylor and I have this under control. We'll check in every day."

"If she tries to destroy what I have now, I will end her," I vowed softly. "I love my wife and my child. It was bad enough I had to go through it… I will _not_ let them suffer through this."

"It won't come to that," my father reassured me. "Enjoy your honeymoon with your bride. We have this."

* * *

"Christian! This is so beautiful!" Ana announced, all but skipping through the stone house on the Cliffs of Moher. It was a small yet sumptuously appointed cottage. Less than half the size of the great room at Escala, the stone-walled bungalow had enormous windows facing out onto the ocean from the combined living room and kitchen, plus the adjacent bedroom and bathroom. Sawyer, Prescott, and Ryan would be accommodated in town a few miles away, giving Anastasia and me the privacy we desired.

"The kitchen has everything we could possibly need," Ana announced as she checked out the fridge and larder. "We won't have to go anywhere!"

"That was the idea, baby," I replied. "It's just you and me, no interruptions, for the next two days."

Everything was perfect until my phone rang on the second day.

"Grey," I answered. It was evening, and we'd be leaving our little love bower tomorrow morning to drive to Dublin.

"Son, have you told Ana yet?"

It wasn't what I'd expected my father to lead with.

"Not yet. Why?"

"I think you need to. Elena Lincoln contacted me today. She's being held pending a hearing, and she reached out in the guise of contacting me as a lawyer…"

"There's no way you're going to…?"

"Of course not," my father interrupted. "And that's not why she really wanted to see me. Elena is all but bankrupt. She said she was planning to disappear with the insurance money from the salon fire, but with the underwriter now refusing to pay out, Elena doesn't have enough money to engage attorneys for her defense or even make bail. She contacted me to get a message to you. She said she has images and videos of you with other prominent people who are involved in that… lifestyle. She said unless you help her make bail, she will arrange to make those images and videos public."

"But that will just hurt her defense," I argued. "It will show one more of her victims. Me."

"These photos aren't of you at fifteen, Christian. She said they're more recent."

The club. It was the only possibility. Elena had taken me to a BDSM club in New York when I was at Harvard and still unknown. I'd only been there once, and it was years ago, but she hadn't had a chance to photograph me or see me scene since then. I cast my mind back, thinking of who else was there that night. Quite a few were wealthy and famous, even back then, and almost all of them had more to lose than I did.

"What is she planning?" I asked, voicing the words rhetorically.

"She's planning to skip bail," my father replied. "Her bail is likely to be a million, and she's asked for an additional million to help her disappear. She wants you to pay for her to escape."

I knew what my father wasn't suggesting. Two million dollars was a cheap solution to the problem. A couple of checks and I could be free of Elena. It was tempting. I knew what she did with me was wrong, and I did want her to pay, but I didn't know whether that part of me was more significant than the part that wanted Elena, and everything to do with her, to just disappear.

"How long do I have?" I asked Carrick, my stomach still in knots.

"A couple of days."

"I need to talk this through with Ana," I said, my mood plummeting. "It's her reputation, too. If people find out, they'll make assumptions about my relationship with her, even if they're not true." My father grunted in acknowledgment. "What would _you_ do, Dad?"

"I don't know, Christian. I really don't. Whatever you decide, your mother and I will love and support you. I understand if you want Elena punished and are prepared to take the fallout, and I'll understand if you just want her to disappear."

"It's not just _me_ I'd be deciding for though, is it? You said she's threatening to expose others?"

"The less I know about that, the better, son. If you feel some people need to be warned, then so be it. Just use your best judgment. If you're found to be complicit in Elena skipping bail, you can be charged."

I hung up and had to control myself to prevent me throwing my phone at the stone wall of the cottage.

"What's happened?" Ana asked, watching me as I poured myself a good couple of fingers of scotch. She'd caught the end of the conversation, and could see I was stressed out.

"My worst nightmare," I murmured, patting the sofa beside me and opening my arms to Ana as I prepared to tell her everything.

My wife sat wrapped in my arms as I stroked her baby belly, telling her about the arson, Elena's apparent attempts at insurance fraud, the discovery of her pedophilia, and finally her request, via Carrick, that I fund her disappearance lest risk exposure.

"What do you want to do?" Ana asked, getting to the crux of the issue.

"I don't want her to get away with it," I growled. "She's abused other young men," I whispered, relating more of what Carrick had told me. "There's photos of Elena with different boys. Four have been identified and are, or were, underage, and that's only in the last three years. If I help her escape, then she will keep doing what she does, just somewhere else. How many lives could she ruin?"

"And if you refuse her?"

"Then potentially it comes out. Not her abuse of me, but everyone will know that I was part of the lifestyle. And she's threatened to expose others, too. Some of these are powerful people, baby. If they realize I could have stopped Elena exposing them, and I didn't, they're not going to be happy."

"If we weren't married, and it was just _your_ reputation, what would you do?" Ana asked, her shrewd brain determining a large part of not wanting to be exposed was to protect her reputation and blip's.

"I'd probably tell Elena to do her worst," I admitted. "I want her to pay for what she did to me. I don't want to give her any of our money to help her escape. It would be as though I condoned what she did to me. What she's done to _them,"_ I explained, thinking of the other young men she had molested.

Ana put her hand over mine.

"Then that's what we do. She needs to be stopped, Christian," Ana said with a quiet determination. "She needs to pay."

"Even if she exposes others?"

"That's on them. You told me the scene relies on trust. You can't be held accountable for what _she_ does…"

"Still – I should warn them. Those that I can. They're not bad people, Ana. They're in consenting, and often loving relationships. They don't deserve to be outed."

"Is there anyone you know to reach out to? Someone who might be able to warn the others?" my angel calmly suggested.

I nodded.

"There is someone. I officially met him at Harvard, but he's from Seattle money. I used to go to school with him, although he was a year or two ahead of me. He would be in the photos I'm thinking of. He should be able to get the word out."

"Maybe when they hear about it, one of _them_ photographed will choose to bail her out?" Ana pondered.

"That's _their_ decision," I replied, "and their conscience. I don't want anyone's private life to be exposed. But Elena needs to be held accountable for the damage she's done."

Ana nodded, standing up and pulling me by the hand into the bedroom. My baby always knew what I needed.

"Would Sir like me to submit?" she asked coyly, her eyes modestly downcast. Even in jeans and a sweater, Ana managed to look mouthwatering.

"No Anastasia. Right now, I don't want your submission. I want to lose myself in my wife. I'd like glorious, wonderful vanilla with you on this rug in front of the fire."

* * *

A night with my cock repeatedly buried in Anastasia's tight pussy calmed me down considerably. By the time I woke up in the morning, curled possessively around Ana's still sleeping form, I had a game plan. Prescott and Sawyer arrived at 10:00 am, the latter driving a 1960s Austin Healey Mk3000. In mint condition, I'd hired the convertible for the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Dublin. We'd take it slow, and security would follow. The touring company had suggested a few interesting spots to stop along the way, and we were in no hurry. By tonight we'd be sleeping in Dublin.

I'd booked us three days in the Princess Grace Suite at The Shelbourne Hotel on St. Stephen's Green. It was only a ten-minute walk down Kildare Street to Trinity College's Long Room library, St. Stephen's Green park was just across the road, and Grafton Street but a block over.

I knew my girl would love the Trinity College library. She'd discussed it with one of the librarians when we'd toured the New York library, so I'd booked an early morning tour to see the Book of Kells exhibition and then the library at Trinity College. I'd been unable to arrange exclusive access; however, I'd been assured this guide was the most knowledgeable available and would be touring just Ana and me during the quietest period of the day. We'd be starting with the Book of Kells, then the library, then a walking tour of Trinity College. I'd booked for us to lunch at the Chester Beatty Library, then we'd spend the afternoon touring Dublin Castle and its gardens, again as part of a private tour. Now Ana's energy had returned with her second trimester, I wanted to take advantage of it.

"A convertible?!" Ana squealed, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me liberally as Sawyer and Prescott looked on in amusement. The three security we'd brought had managed to be unobtrusive and, like me, they delighted in seeing Ana's evident joy at every new sight and adventure.

"I get to drive it back to the pickup point," I heard Prescott growl at Sawyer, shoulder bumping him as the two of them carried our luggage to the SUV they'd be driving to follow us. Checking Ana had a sweater, as the classic car would be chilly with the top down, I helped her into the passenger seat and gunned the engine. I had some difficult calls I'd need to make once we reached Dublin – but for now, I was going to enjoy a drive in the Irish countryside with my wife.


	65. Chapter 65

Ireland was the most picturesque place I'd ever been. Despite the news about Elena hanging over us, I refused to let her ruin our few days here. Christian hadn't suggested it, but I had my suspicions we might need to cut short out honeymoon to deal with the situation, which made me all the more determined to enjoy the time we had. Touring through the scenic Irish countryside in a classic sportscar was every bit as beautiful as I'd imagined it would be. We stopped at an Irish pub for lunch, enjoying large serves of stew with champ before idling our way toward Dublin. It was late afternoon by the time we settled into our suite at the Shelbourne, and despite our magical day, Christian was looking more and more tense with every moment that passed.

"I need to make some calls, baby," he explained, not needing to outline what they were about. "Why don't you pour a nice bath? I'll join you in a bit."

I wasn't stupid enough to believe they'd be quick or easy conversations, so I prepared to bathe alone.

"Sure, take your time," I replied, eyeing the marble bathroom with two-person soaker tub. I wasn't usually a big drinker, but today was one of those occasions when I would have welcomed a glass of champagne in the bath. Oh well – thanks to blip it was not to be. I'd stripped and was pouring some ambrosial petunia and tea rose bath oil into the water when Christian appeared, holding his phone to his ear, a tumbler of scotch in his other hand. He was listening to the person on the other end of the line, but his eyes were watching me.

"Get in," he mouthed, his eyes darkening carnally as I did a naked little spin before climbing into the warmth of the now full bath. Pulling a chair to the open doorway of the bathroom, my husband sat and watched me as I made a show of sponging myself thoroughly, spending a lot of time on my breasts and the area between my legs. He finished his first phone call then moved onto a second.

"… they're the only ones I can think of, but it was a long time ago, now… yes, I understand! Do you think _I_ want that?! I'm overseas on my honeymoon for fuck's sake! … not that I know of. She has a regular sub who might be convinced, given the circumstances? Since the salon is out, the next obvious spot is her home… I'd rather not have to, but if it comes down to it, I suppose I'll have to at least consider it."

Christian's responses were curt and sharp. He was probably unconscious of it, but I could hear his Dom coming out. Combined with his heated gaze as he watched me bathe, I knew he'd be wanting me as soon as he was off the phone. In fact, mirroring my thoughts, I saw him move into the bedroom, searching his bag and pulling out some of the equipment he'd brought with him from home. Cable ties, amongst other things. The ones he'd bought from Clayton's unless I was mistaken. Not my favorite way of being restrained, but a lot easier to explain at customs than a set of handcuffs and a leg-spreader!

Listening and making the odd comment on the phone, Christian beckoned to me, ordering me out of the bath. Standing beside the tub, I slowly toweled down, while Christian continued to attend to his call.

"…it's not about the money, _you_ know that. It's the threat. If she is prepared to do it once, she will again and again. From what I've been told she's desperate, and desperate people do desperate things, Liam. Even if I pay her out, there's nothing to stop her doing this again – to me or one of the others… If she's made the threat, we have to assume she's prepared to go through with it…"

Directing me wordlessly to the bed, Christian gestured for me to lie back.

"…can you hang on one moment? Thanks…" Christian mumbled into his phone. He muted it and looked at me.

"Touch yourself, baby. I want you to pleasure yourself while I watch. Don't make a noise," he warned.

Unmuting his phone, Christian brought his chair toward the foot of the bed, where he'd get the best view of me playing with myself. Kinky bastard!

"I'm back. So, what do you suggest? …even those you can… they deserve the heads up…"

Christian was making listening noises as my fingertips trailed down my center, stopping momentarily to tweak my breasts before finding their way to the tuft of hair on my mons before they slipped lower, opening my pink pussy lips. Wet, and not just from the bath, I circled my clit with one finger, teasing myself and Christian.

My sexy husband leaned back in his chair, the bulge in his pants pushing against the zip of his jeans. He rubbed his hand over the lump before giving in; unzipping and pulling out his cock. Already hard, he wrapped his fist around his shaft, pulling his hand lazily up and down as he continued to listen to the conversation on the phone, occasionally chiming in. Meanwhile, I was using my fingers to spread the wetness from my pussy up to my tight nub. Stroking it with one hand, I let Christian feast on that image before using my other hand to almost lazily finger myself. I couldn't recall if he'd ever seen me pump my fingers in and out of my hole – usually, that was his job – but he was certainly enjoying the view now.

Nipples peaking in pleasure, I was writhing on the bed, relishing the delicious feelings my fingers were provoking. Somewhere along the way, I'd almost forgotten this was about Christian's pleasure and not just my own. I was biting at my lips, censuring my licentious cries, as I pumped my fingers in and out of my cleft, chasing the high that was just out of reach. Hot and wet, I timed the teasing from my digits to mimic Christian's usual hard, deep tempo. Eyes fixed on my husband, now, I brought myself closer to my peak. Whimpering softly, I witnessed his own hand speeding up as he watched, mimicking the pace I was setting. I was _so_ close. Almost there…

"I have to go, Preston. Alert who you can, and call me 10:00 pm your time with an update. It will be six in the morning here, then… Yeah well, it is what it is. I appreciate your help with this." Christian disconnected the call and threw his phone onto a side table.

"Baby. You look like you're having fun, but I think I can do that better!"

"Hmm?" I was almost incapable of speech. What I was doing to myself felt _so good!_

Pulling my fingers away from my cleft, Christian replaced them with his own. Cupping his hand so his palm ground against my clit, his fingers were stroking me from within. I was almost screaming with need. I was tighter than I think I'd ever been, and there was a strange almost sucking sound as Christian's fingers continued to massage the front wall of my cunt. And then I experienced the single hardest orgasm I'd ever had. Thrust upon me seemingly out of nowhere, this wasn't just the usual pulsing of my pussy when I climaxed; this was something entirely different. Something _more._

The rhythmic pulsing of my twat was there, but so was another feeling. It felt like my pussy was being flooded with liquid. The sounds as Christian continued to finger me were markedly different to the usual. Wet and filthy, the feeling of losing control just kept going on and on. I was only just conscious I was uncontrollably screaming my approval as Christian kept up his movements, prolonging this indescribable thrill.

Drifting back to cognizance, I was aware of a wet feeling all over my pussy, Christian's hand, as well as the bed. Not a wet spot, this was more like a puddle. I was so embarrassed. I must have wet myself! Looking up at Christian, I was trying to find the words to profusely apologize, however, my husband was looking down at me like he'd cured cancer, won the tri-state lottery _and_ discovered he had three dicks.

"Oh baby!" he groaned almost in awe. "You squirting is the hottest thing I _have ever seen!"_

"Squirting?"

"Female ejaculation… _Fuck_ Ana… Not a lot of women can do it!" Christian explained, still looking as proud as punch.

"So, it's not pee?" I asked, embarrassed by the fact I'd _soaked_ the bed.

"Nope. It's sweeter," Christian said, sampling some of the copious fluid on his fingers. "How did it feel? Better than a normal orgasm?"

"About a thousand times better," I admitted, lying back on the bed, and draping my forearm across my face as I grinned. I was almost _flying_ I felt so good. "I can't believe you made me cum that hard!"

Christian's cocky look said it all.

"Roll over," Christian ordered, suddenly in full Dom mode, rotating me onto my stomach on a dry part of the bed. "Bum up," he continued, carefully positioning a couple of pillows beneath the pivot of my hips, so I wasn't resting on my stomach. I heard him rip the packet of cable ties open.

"Hands," he ordered, and without question, I raised my hands above my head, Christian quickly securing each wrist within a flexible plastic strip, looping a third to keep them together then a fourth to secure my hands to the headboard. And before I had a chance to ponder the life decisions I'd made that had resulted in me being restrained and fucked hard in a heritage Irish hotel, Christian was buried in me taking me from behind and claiming every bit of my pleasure.

* * *

"I'll get Prescott to call housekeeping and ask them to remake the bed," Christian announced ruefully once we'd showered and dressed for our dinner at one of Dublin's Michelin starred restaurants, Chapter One.

"No!" I gasped, humiliated at the idea Prescott might think I'd wet the bed. _"I'll_ call housekeeping," I insisted. I waited until Christian was sitting to put on his dress shoes, then I slipped into another room, calling housekeeping and merely identifying myself from the Princess Grace suite and requesting the master bed be remade. Then I strapped on my heels, grabbed a wrap to match my dress, and took a final look at myself in the mirror. In tonight's silver slinky bias cut dress there was no doubt that I was pregnant. I had a little belly that could no longer be confused as anything than a growing baby. Baby Grey, I thought with a grin. Mr. and Mrs. Grey were expecting a baby!

"Fuck, Anastasia! You look so beautiful!" Christian announced, looking delicious himself in a pinstriped navy suit as he came to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. Almost unconsciously his hands were stroking my stomach, caressing it gently as he looked at our reflections in the mirror.

"You look amazing, too," I replied, meaning every word. Christian looked like a supermodel in what he was wearing. I shouldn't be surprised; he always looked unbelievably sexy!

"Ready to go, Mrs. Grey?" he asked solicitously.

"Yes," I said sweetly, following Christian to the door.

He had the suite door open and was waiting for me to pass through, when I quickly said, "Hang on – I need to grab my TUMS." I'd been carrying the antacids with me for the occasional inconvenient bouts of heartburn I'd been experiencing. Racing back into our suite, I dropped a hundred Euro note onto the pillow of our bed, straightening the bedclothes to the best of my ability. It still looked like there was an enormous wet patch in the middle of the quilt, but there was not much I could do about that, so the least I could do is tip whoever had to change the sheets!

"That's better," I said, closing my purse as I came out of the bedroom and back into the sitting area of the suite where Christian was waiting. "I'm _starving,_ Mr. Grey. Blip and I need you to feed us!"


	66. Chapter 66

I was up at 5:45 waiting for Liam's call. I knew he'd ring me back – he was one of those who would be in the photos and videos taken that night at the club, and he had a _lot_ more to lose than I did. Liam Hoyt Preston and I had known one another for years. We'd attended the same school, at one point, and then later we'd been at Harvard together. One of the Seattle Prestons, Liam was from multigenerational power and money. His father and grandfather had both been in politics, and Liam was running for Senator. With his education and background, there was even talk he might eventually run for President. Sure, my image and GEH would take a hit if I was outed as part of the lifestyle, but were Liam outed it would destroy his whole life. Which is why I knew he'd call.

Right on 6:00 my cell rang. I was sitting at the dining table in our suite so I wouldn't disturb Ana in our bedroom. While she'd been keeping up the pace on our honeymoon tour admirably, I couldn't forget that she was growing our baby – which is why I wanted her to sleep as late as possible today given tomorrow would be an early start for the Book of Kells and Trinity College tour.

"Grey," I greeted, hoping that Liam had something good to tell me.

"Christian," Liam greeted. "Everyone there that night has been identified, and the word is out."

"How did you manage that?"

"I rang the club and explained the threat. The owner would not release any information, of course, but he checked the member's log, worked out the date in question and who was there. He's contacted everyone possible to warn them. He only mentioned Elena's name, so there is nothing to tie this to either of us."

I grunted in acknowledgment. It was a smart way of going about things. I was an unknown, back then. Unless the photos or videos came out, no one had any reason to connect me to the college kid who was there one night so many years ago.

"So, what happens now?" Preston asked.

"For now, we wait and see if she gets bail. It's not a given – she might be considered too much of a flight risk."

"And the images?"

"Leave that with me."

I rang off. 10:05 pm Seattle time. Time for another phone call.

"This is Christian Grey."

"Sir. I've been expecting your call."

"Indeed. Did you know about the underage boys?"

"Certainly not!" Isaac replied, and I believed him. Elena's submissive for over two years, his voice had a note of revulsion that all but screamed veracity. "She'd send me away, so I knew she was playing privately with others from time to time, but I had no idea they were underage."

"Are you aware she's made threats?"

"No?" He sounded uncomfortable, which was understandable given the circumstances.

"She is threatening to expose some very powerful people," I commented. "She claims to have photos and videos. Photos and videos she has threatened to release…"

"There are photos," Isaac confirmed. "She was boasting about people she'd scened with at a club in New York, and showed them to me a year or so back."

"So - are you helping her with this?!"

"No, Sir! It's bad enough I've been named and questioned by the police when they identified me from images on her laptop. I don't know anything about her abusing minors, and I don't want _anything_ to do with her outing anyone."

"Do you know where the images are?" I demanded, careful to keep the hope from my voice.

"Not for sure. There are a couple of places they could be," Isaac admitted. "It would be worth checking her house." He paused. "The police have searched it, but without knowing the place, they'd be unlikely to find any of her hidy holes… I still have my key…"

"I'll arrange for someone from my security team to accompany you. Any assistance you can give will be handsomely rewarded."

"Thank you, Sir."

I hung up, running my hands through my hair. There was a chance Elena had already entrusted the photos to someone else – but it seemed unlikely. The fact her laptop was out when she was arrested suggested her detention was wholly unexpected. It was much more likely the photos were still stashed somewhere at her house.

I called down to housekeeping to send me up a pot of fresh coffee before I made my next call. It arrived, and I poured myself a cup before sitting the pot in the center of the table, I picked up my cell again.

"Dad – it's Christian."

"Son. It's early there, isn't it? I was waiting up to call you later."

"I had other calls to make. What's the latest?"

"Elena's hearing was set for tomorrow, but I pulled a favor, and it's going to be on Monday," my father said.

"Ok."

"Have you decided what you're going to do?"

I intentionally misunderstood my father's question.

"Ana and I are not coming back for it. If she names names, then it's probably better we're over here, anyway."

"You're not going to…?"

"No. I hope it doesn't come to it, but if she reveals all then so be it. Ana and I have talked, and I won't condone what Elena did by paying for her to get away with it."

"You're prepared for the fallout? People will label you as a pervert or worse. And people might make the connection between her charges and yourself." My father sounded worried.

"Dad if they do they do. Yes, she abused me, but I chose to stay in that lifestyle. I need to take some ownership. It _kills_ me Ana and our baby might suffer for my choices, but I need to accept and own my part in this."

Carrick sighed. "I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't come to that, Christian. Whatever it takes."

"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it."

We chatted a bit more before I hung up and poured another coffee, drinking it while I looked out over St. Stephen's Green. I felt her presence before I saw her. Wearing a long silky nightgown that all but begged me to run my hands up and down her form, my sleeping beauty was standing in the doorway to our bedroom.

"I was trying to let you sleep in."

"The bed was lonely without you to share it with," Ana replied, coming across and holding me. After so many years of not being touched, I was still not desensitized to someone's hands on my body – but with Ana, it was always accompanied by a thrill of excitement, not of fear.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

"This honeymoon has been all about what _I_ want. What would _you_ like to do, Christian?"

More than anything I wanted to focus on the future. Something positive, like my beautiful wife and child.

"Let's go shopping for blip," I suggested shyly, a little embarrassed at the warm, happy feelings thinking about our child evoked.

"Technically that's still not for you," Ana gently chided.

"I want to help choose some things for him or her," I explained, which is how Prescott, Ryan, Ana and I ended up touring several high-end baby stores in Dublin. Ryan looked as bored as hell, whereas Prescott was smiling as we walked through the stores, discussing everything blip would need. I was entirely out of my depth and would probably have just bought one of everything had I had my way. Ana stopped me, explaining babies grew very quickly, and blip would not need a lot.

"Why don't you choose his or her first outfit?" Ana suggested lovingly, leading me over to a section with newborn baby clothes. Everything seemed so small. I called over a sales assistant, grilling her on the different options before settling on a brushed organic cotton long sleeved footed sleepsuit with matching hat and mittens. Ana and I then looked at the baby blankets, eventually settling on two Plum of London alpaca receiving blankets; one in pinks and the other in blues.

"In six months our baby is going to be dressed in that," I said, wrapping my arms around Ana as we watched our selections being packaged up. "We're going to have a baby relying on us for everything." It was a daunting thought, and I was starting to freak out a little.

"Yes. _Our_ baby, Christian. Half you, half me. With two parents to love them. Grandparents, great grandparents, an aunt and an uncle, too. Blip will want for nothing, Christian."

"Then why am I so scared?"

Ana circled my waist with her arms, cuddling against me.

"This is new for both of us. I'm scared, too."

"Really?" I was so relieved.

"Of course, I'm scared, Christian. What do I know about being a Mom? But I know we'll work it out together."

"Together," I agreed, and we sealed our promise with a lingering kiss.

* * *

We'd celebrated our purchases over a long lunch, finally returning to the Shelbourne with our selections. Ana took a nap, waking at almost 5:00 pm local time. Since it was Friday afternoon in Dublin, we knew it was Friday morning in Seattle, so Ana decided to make some calls.

She started by calling Carla in Savannah. The first time they'd spoken since the wedding, their chat was all about where we were and what we were doing on our honeymoon. I sat and listened as Ana then called Kate, my wife smiling as she heard all the latest news and gossip from Seattle. She had Kate on speaker, and I was relieved that Kate only briefly mentioned Elena and the fire at Esclava.

Finally, Ana called Gail. I loved hearing the loving way the two women interacted. Gail was much more interested in our purchases for blip than Ana's own mother had been. It wasn't that Carla didn't care – just that Gail cared _so much more._

The biggest news, by far, was when Gail quietly revealed to Ana that Taylor had used their fortnight in Aspen to propose. Gail had apparently accepted, and the two of them hoped to wed in a low-key ceremony at an as yet undisclosed date.

"We want it before the baby arrives," Gail explained nervously to Ana. "Jason and I want to be back on board and ready when the little one gets here."

"You don't want to leave and start as a married couple somewhere else?" Ana asked.

"Oh, no! Jason and I are looking forward to a new little Grey! We're not planning on going anywhere," Gail confirmed with conviction.

Ana sagged in relief, and to be honest so did I. Taylor and Gail had been through so much with me. I could not imagine trusting anyone else the way I trusted them both, and it was abundantly clear Ana felt the same way.

"I am so pleased for you!" Ana squealed, her loving, kind heart thrilled for Taylor and Gail. "Please let me know anything we can do to help!"

Once Ana had finished with Gail, I said a few words offering my best wishes before asking to speak with Taylor.

"So, I hear you're planning to steal my housekeeper?" I joked.

"You're just worried she won't make you her chocolate cake anymore," Taylor replied with a laugh. I'd known Taylor was planning to propose sometime, and I'd half expected such an announcement after a fortnight away on holidays, but it was still a relief to hear they intended to stay on with us.

"I'm very happy for you both. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir. It felt like the right time."

We were both a little bashful talking about personal things, which was ridiculous given everything Taylor knew about me.

"So, what's the latest there?" I asked, knowing Taylor would know what I was talking about.

"I'm going over today."

"And the press has no word about this?"

"Apparently not. So far all they have reported is Mrs. Lincoln has been detained on suspicion of arson and insurance fraud. No one outside of the proceedings appears to be aware of the _other_ charges that are pending."

"Dad said her hearing is on Monday. I should probably get the PR Department at GEH to put together a statement. Even if Elena doesn't tell anyone about my lifestyle, enough people know she loaned me the money to start GEH. Once people find out she has a penchant for young men, it's not going to take a genius to join the dots," I said with a sigh.

"Let's see what I can turn up at her house, first" Taylor replied optimistically. "We might as well know what we're dealing with."

"Thank you, Taylor. I don't say it enough, but I do appreciate everything you do for me."

"You're welcome, sir. Try to enjoy your honeymoon and not worry. Your father and I have things in hand here."


	67. Chapter 67

"Mr. Grey? Mrs. Grey? You need to get up. Mr. Grey Senior is on the line. He said it's urgent."

I groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore Prescott's persistent knocks at the door to our bedroom. I'd been in the middle of the most glorious dream, not to mention I was exhausted. We'd been up at the crack of dawn to see the Book of Kells exhibition, then we'd had a busy day touring Trinity College, and in particular the library. After lunch at another library, we spent the afternoon meandering our way through Dublin Castle and its grounds. All the fresh air and wonderful sights had done me in, and I'd barely had time to scarf down my dinner before I'd been dozing off, my new husband carrying me to our bed.

The knocking persisted, and I raised up in bed eyeing the clock belligerently. 3:45 am. _Literally_ the middle of the night.

"Ok," I groaned. Anything to stop Prescott's banging. I rolled onto my side, getting out of bed and moving straight to the bathroom. Being pregnant, I _always_ needed to relieve myself, so I did that before returning to our bedroom, slipping on a nightgown and robe before switching on my lamp and shaking Christian awake.

Before we'd got together, Christian said he was a chronically light sleeper. Now he slept like a log – as long as I was beside him. Stirring as I gently tapped his shoulder, his bleary gray eyes met mine in confusion.

"It's a quarter to four," I explained as my husband's eyes focused and lost their sleepy bewilderment. "Prescott has woken us. Your father is on the line. Apparently, it's urgent."

Christian now awake, I rummaged in our luggage, finding him a pair of sweats and a TShirt. It didn't bother him as much in front of Ryan or Sawyer, but I knew Christian preferred to be more fully clothed in front of Prescott. Not that I had any worry that she was interested. Changed on an almost daily basis, her phone wallpaper broadcast she was into very well built, tall black guys with trim beards.

Waiting until Christian had his clothes on, I opened the door to our room and emerged into the suite. Prescott was there standing in the dining area, with her phone sitting on the table waiting. Two moments after we came out there was a knock at the door. Housekeeping had arrived with a pot of coffee and a pot of hot water and a Twinings teabag for me. I smiled gratefully at Prescott who nodded kindly. She looked pressed and professional as always, in her habitual black pantsuit and top, although I noted she wasn't wearing her trademark bright lipstick. Like us, she had no doubt been pulled out of bed.

Christian walked to the phone.

"It's on speaker, sir," Prescott explained as I poured Christian a coffee, placing it in front of him as I prepared my tea.

"Dad, we're up now. Call me back on my cell," Christian instructed, disconnecting the call once Carrick had agreed.

"Thank you, Prescott," Christian said dismissing her, "I'll call you if we need anything else."

She nodded, discreetly exiting the suite, leaving Christian and me to ourselves. Christian looked at his phone, noticing six missed calls from Taylor and Carrick. I guess that's why Carrick rang Prescott to wake us.

Christian's cell rang, and he answered immediately.

"Dad. You're on speaker, and it's just Ana and me."

"You're on speaker, too. Taylor is with me."

"What's happened?"

"Elena Lincoln is dead. She was being held in an individual cell at the remand center, and about three hours ago the hourly check found her unconscious and unresponsive in her cell. Paramedics were called, but they were unable to revive her. She was transported to the Seattle Grace but never regained consciousness. She died shortly after admission."

Carrick sounded as sober as I'd ever heard him.

"Suicide?" Christian asked, his face impassive.

The pause was long before Taylor answered.

"No, sir. Elena Lincoln was beaten to the brink of death with a cut-off iron rod. The investigation has only just started, but it's believed the implement was one of numerous offcuts from the construction site next door."

"Beaten to death?!"

"It appears so, sir. None of this is public knowledge, yet. We only know because your brother was questioned, and your father attended as his legal counsel."

" _Elliot?"_ Christian almost roared. "How does _he_ have anything to do with this?!"

My poor fifty. He looked as though he was about to pop an artery.

"The building is one of Elliot's projects. The police asked him to come down and walk them through the construction area. The site has numerous gaps in the fence, but the police needed permission to enter and gather evidence. They questioned Elliot about who could access the site, but it's so open it could have been anyone," Carrick explained.

"Doesn't Elliot usually have cameras on his sites?" Christian demanded, the wheels turning the angles in his head.

"He does, but only at the main entrances. He's handed the footage over to the police, but other than a shadowy figure in the corner of one camera, there's nothing."

"What about cameras inside the remand center?" Christian asked.

"They were disabled about an hour before Elena was discovered. Whoever it was got in and out unobserved. The police are testing for DNA evidence, but off the record, they've already told me they're not expecting to find anything. They said this has every indication of being a professional hit." Carrick's voice was giving nothing away.

"Fuck," Christian said, running his fingers through his hair.

"Sir? I'm afraid that's not all," Taylor added soberly.

"There's more?" I gasped, making myself known for the first time in the conversation.

"I'm afraid so, Mrs. Grey. Around the same time Mrs. Lincoln was discovered in her cell, the fire department was called to attend her residence. It's been unoccupied since she was detained, but someone must have broken in and torched the place. It was unmistakably arson. The fire department is still struggling to contain it, but I spoke with a guy on the ground, and he said it's probably thermite."

"Thermite?" Christian interjected, his tone suggesting he didn't know what that was.

"A substance made up of iron and aluminum," Taylor outlined. "It burns white hot. It can actually burn through solid metal. Whoever wanted Mrs. Lincoln's house gone, they left nothing to chance."

We were all silent for a moment.

"She's really dead?" I gasped, my voice quivering. Christian opened his arms to me and pulled me onto his lap. "What does that mean?"

"The charges die with her," Carrick explained softly. "The salon arson, and the _other_ charges. There will, of course, be a new investigation into her murder and the destruction of her home. But the other information will stay sealed unless it becomes relevant to the new investigation."

"It's over?" I gasped, a wave of tension I didn't know I was holding welling up within me and overflowing. I grasped Christian's TShirt, nestling my head in the crook of his neck as I started crying. "I _hated_ her, Christian. I know I should be sorry someone killed her, but I'm _not!_ She was an evil child predator, and while I'm sorry you and her other victims never got to see her pay for what she did, I'm glad she no longer breathes the same air I do!"

Christian consoled me, holding me tight as he kissed my forehead, giving me the silent reassurance I needed.

"Taylor, Dad? It's early here, Ana is tired, and this is a lot to take in. We need to go. Keep us updated, please? I'll keep my phone next to me," Christian said with authority, disconnecting the call then picking me up and carrying me to our bedroom.

"Is she really gone?" I whispered as Christian helped me out of my robe and into our bed.

"She is, baby. It's over. We're safe now."

* * *

The next few days were strange. I'd expected a flurry of calls from Seattle, but there were none. Christian rang Taylor a couple of times, but other than that, we were left to ourselves, so we continued sightseeing around Dublin. I wasn't sure what I expected from Christian. Grief? Relief? A couple of times I'd catch him looking out over the green, an inscrutable expression on his face, but he didn't want to talk about her or what happened, so eventually I decided to let him work through it in his own way, secure in the knowledge he'd come to me when he was ready.

We were sitting at breakfast a few days after the news when Christian asked me where else in Europe I wanted to see. We'd seen a lot of what I wanted in Ireland and were due back to Seattle in a week.

"Na ah," I said, putting my foot down. "London and Ireland were all about _me._ There must be somewhere _you'd_ like to go, Mr. Grey?"

He shrugged shyly. "I _have_ always thought Santorini in one of those luxury bungalows would be nice? What do you think, Mrs. Grey? Do you fancy some sun before we go home?"

It sounded the perfect way to round off our honeymoon, so leaving Christian to arrange the details, I went through to our bedroom to pack. Eight hours later we were in Santorini, Sawyer driving the five of us to the luxury villa Christian had somehow managed to rent at virtually no notice. Set high on a hill overlooking the water below, the two-bedroom villa also had an on-site chef and staff quarters where security would be staying.

"What do you think, Mrs. Grey?" Christian asked, leading me out to a terrace beside the horizon pool. The sun was just beginning to set, and we stood side by side and took a selfie of the two of us in front of the glorious sunset.

"It's breathtaking!"

Christian spun me in his arms, so he was standing behind me. He unbuttoned my shirt, and I shrugged it off, letting it flutter to the ground. I moaned as Christian's hands started massaging my breasts through my bra, finding my nipples and rolling them between his fingers. I leaned back against his chest as his hands moved down, over my baby belly before finding the button and zip of my pregnancy jeans, quickly divesting me of them. I was standing in my bra and panties on the terrace.

"You are so beautiful, baby," Christian whispered in my ear as he pushed his jean covered erection against my butt. "How about we go for a swim?"

"I don't have a swimsuit," I replied.

"The staff have been instructed not to come out here unless called," Christian said, shucking off his shirt, followed by his jeans and boxers. Putting them on a sun lounger beside the pool with his phone and watch, my husband was standing gloriously naked, and gloriously aroused, at the poolside. "Swim with me, baby – it's nice and warm…"

And then he slid into the water, holding his hand out for me to join him. I dipped a toe into the pool, and it was pleasantly warm. Not at all the icy shock I'd supposed it to be. Watching Christian's eyes darken by the second, I made a little show of removing my bra and panties before stepping into the water.

"That's more like it," Christian said, moving toward me and wrapping his arms around my nakedness. "Come see the edge," he encouraged, pulling me through the water to the infinity edge of the pool. The view of the setting sun over the sea was sensational, as was the feeling of Christian behind me, the warmth of his chest seeping into my back. I was pleasantly weightless in the water, and I crossed my arms on the concrete edge of the pool, looking out over the cliffs to the sea below.

"This is just perfect," I whispered. I'd said it quietly, but I knew Christian heard me.

"Not quite, baby, _now_ it's perfect," he said pushing my legs apart and penetrating me from behind, using one hand to circle my clit as the other held me steady in the water. I was already so turned on, it took no time at all, and I was coming hard, gripping onto the wall in front of me as I wailed Christian's name out into the abyss below. He followed a moment later, gripping my hips hard before spilling his warmth inside me.

"You're right – that _was_ perfect," I giggled, pouting a little when Christian pulled out of me.

"Let's go inside, baby. I'm not nearly done with you yet," Christian announced, picking me up in the water and carrying me across to the side of the pool closest to the villa. Lifting us both out of the water Christian moved me inside and placed me, still dripping wet, in the middle of a gorgeous white bed.

"You ready for round two?" he asked, waiting for my nod of confirmation before he buried his face between my legs.

* * *

"Put this on," Christian said, passing me a three-quarter length leather jacket. "Taylor said it's been unseasonably cold, and it's raining in Seattle."

I sighed. It figured it would be raining. Usually, Seattle's inclement weather didn't bother me, but the contrast with sunny Santorini could not be more marked. We were on board the GEH jet on our way back from our honeymoon, and the closer we got to Seattle, the more Christian changed. He'd spent half the flight in his onboard office, getting up to speed, so come Monday he could return to work and hit the ground running.

I knew it was necessary, and we couldn't spend forever in our little honeymoon love bubble, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it.

We moved out into the main cabin, taking our seats ready to land. It was only a few minutes later when the wheels kissed the runway, and we were taxying across to a hangar at Boeing Field. The staff would take care of the luggage, so as soon as the doors opened, Christian and I stepped out into the chilly Seattle morning.

Taylor was there, waiting beside one of the black SUVs. Christian nodded at him, walking forward to shake his hand when the passenger door of the SUV opened and out stepped Gail.

"Welcome home Mr. and Mrs. Grey!" she said with a wide grin at us both before coming to scoop me into a warm hug. Suddenly Seattle seemed just that little bit sunnier.


	68. Chapter 68

He knew. One look at Elliot's haggard face, the torment in his eyes, and I knew it. My gaze flitting across my parents, siblings, and Kate, I could tell Elliot knew about what Elena had done, but that Mia and Kate didn't. I shot a panicked look at Ana and, like always, she knew just what to do.

"Grace? Mia and Kate? It's so good to see you! Come with me – I want to show you all the _adorable_ things we picked up for the baby in Europe," she gushed, shepherding the women of the family out of the great room at Escala and up toward the room we'd picked out for blip, leaving me with my father and brother.

"I need a fucking drink," I growled, moving toward my study, Elliot, and Dad trailing in my wake. I closed the door and managed to pour us three generous scotches before Elliot all but broke down.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" he asked, tears pooling in his eyes. "Christian – I would have protected you. I would have told you it wasn't right. You're my brother; I would have stopped that sick cunt a lot earlier."

"It was all over a long time ago, El," I said, finding myself in the unfamiliar situation of consoling my brother. "I'm sorry for not coming to you. You too, Dad. Looking back, it was the logical thing to do, but I was so messed up at the time, I couldn't see that."

"What did she do to you?" Elliot asked, his eyes not meeting mine. My own eyes shot to Carrick who subtlety shook his head. It appeared Elliot knew about the abuse but not the precise nature of it.

"El – it's not something I want to talk about. I've spent a long time in therapy working through it, and I just want to forget about what happened. She's gone, it's over, and now I want to focus on the good in my life. My family and my friends."

"I failed you," Elliot said so quietly I almost didn't hear it. "I should have seen it."

"Don't think that way," I said. "She was a predator. I didn't fully get it until Ana opened my eyes to her. Even then, I didn't want to believe it, because in doing so I had to accept that I was her victim. But it's over, now. That shit ended with her."

The room was silent.

"Any more on the investigation, Dad?" I checked.

It had been just over a week since it happened, and we'd arrived back into Seattle yesterday morning. Knowing our family would want to see us, Ana had invited them all over for Sunday dinner at Escala, and right now Gail was cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

"Nothing," he confirmed. "They have confirmed the weapon was an offcut from the building site, but there is no DNA, no video footage, and no witnesses. The police are digging through her financial records so you can expect a call in due course about that, but it's a dead end, and they know it. It's the same with the arson on her house. Nothing was detected on the CCTV in the neighborhood, so it's believed the person or persons accessed her home via the reserve behind it."

The same way Taylor and Isaac did on their fruitless mission to find the photos. After checking out the whole house, they determined anything Elena had was either off-site or in the large safe they were unable to crack. Not that it mattered, now. With Elena dead, the house burned to the ground, and the safe turned into liquefied metal, the threat of exposure was negligible.

"Has she been buried yet?" I asked my father. Last I heard she was being autopsied.

"Not yet. My understanding is they are trying to track down any family." I stopped to think. I knew her better than most, and I don't think she'd ever mentioned cousins or extended family, and I knew she was an only child. I shrugged. Not my problem.

"Elliot? I don't want Mia to know. Or Kate. Ever."

"Kate would never say anything. You know that, right?"

"I do. But I don't want them to look at me differently. I can't move on if all I can see is pity in other people's eyes. I lived through it, once, I don't need to be reminded of it through them. And it would break Mia's heart if she knew, man. You know it would. I want it to end here. With us. You need you to promise me, El? Please?"

I'm pretty sure it was the please that did it, but Elliot nodded, standing up and pulling me into a tight hug.

"You got it. Christian. No matter what you need, I'll always be there for you. I will _always_ have your back. Always have. Always will."

I looked at my father and brother. The thought was fleeting, but I was too afraid to voice it. And so I buried it deep, deciding there were some questions I didn't want answers to.

We finished our scotch, before moving back out into the great room to find Mom, Kate, Mia and Ana standing together looking at Ana's iPad screen. José had sent through edited wedding pics, and the women were oohing and aahing over them.

"I can put that on the big screen," I offered, taking the iPad from Ana and pressing the required buttons. For the next half hour, we flicked through the pictures, Mom declaring each in succession her new 'favorite.'

Over dinner Ana and Mom artfully steered the conversation away from murky waters, instead focusing on our plans to have Ray down to see a game next weekend, and the fact we were both returning to work tomorrow. In Ana's absence, a new Fiction Editor had been hired at SIP. An experienced editor from Macmillan, New York, she was moving to Seattle with her husband for his work. It was an excellent pickup for SIP, and also good news for Ana. The new editor had a reputation for being a team player and an awesome mentor, and with the Boyce Fox novel Ana had championed being prepared for the Christmas book rush, Ana was looking forward to returning to work. She didn't tell our family, but Ana was quietly hopeful she might learn the skills necessary for her to progress to a junior editor position.

"Happy Mrs. Grey?" I asked when we'd finally said farewell to my family. Mia and Kate would have stayed hours, had I let them, but after Ana's third yawn in as many minutes I'd reminded them Ana was pregnant, we'd only been back a little over thirty-six hours, and were still adjusting to the time change.

"So happy," she said, those guileless blue eyes gazing up at me from our bed.

"I'm not happy about sharing you once you go back to work tomorrow," I grumbled.

"Well you don't have to share me right _now_ ,"she said suggestively, giving me a come-hither look.

* * *

"Daddy!"

We were at Safeco field, meeting Ray for a Seahawks game on Sunday. Initially, it was going to be Ana, Ray and me field-side, but once my family heard Ana was inviting her father, suddenly it was my grandparents, parents, sister, Elliot and Kate, Taylor and Gail, Ethan Kavanagh and Ray in the GEH corporate box. I'd been pissed, at first, until Ana reminded me our baby was wreaking havoc on her bladder and that field-side meant a considerable walk to the closest _public_ restroom. This way we'd have everything we could want delivered to us, and Ana would be able to use the private bathroom that was part of the skybox.

Ray Steele was quick to embrace his daughter, hugging her fiercely before pulling back to admire her baby belly. In the five weeks since our wedding, Anastasia's belly had grown considerably.

"You look beautiful, Annie," he said, sounding awed.

"Doesn't she?" I replied, draping an arm around my wife and signaling an attendant to get Ray another beer and ordering a cranberry spritzer for Ana.

"I feel fat and uncomfy," Ana grumbled, before sitting down beside her Dad and telling him all about our honeymoon and first week back at work. I left them to talk, ambling over to my brother, Kate, and Mia, plucking a beer from the ice-bucket along the way. Elliot looked supremely uncomfortable, but Kate and Mia seemed unaware. It must be the Elena thing again.

"El? Got a minute?" I asked innocently, canting my head to an unoccupied area of the corporate box. He looked as though he'd like to say no, but ultimately this was my box and my space, so he nodded and followed me to the back, left corner.

"What gives?" I asked, catching and holding my brother's gaze.

Ten minutes later we were back with Mia and Kate, saying hello to Ethan Kavanagh who had appeared while Elliot and I were talking. Getting fresh drinks, we all moved to the seats overlooking the whole field.

"Nice to see you, Ray," I said nervously, greeting my father in law again.

"You too, Christian," he replied. Ana was perched on my lap, my hand rubbing little circles on her baby bump as she leaned affectionately against me. Ray was going to stay with us after the game, and since I knew he still struggled with the fact I was intimate with his little girl, I kept the PDA minimal. Ana could also see Ray was feeling a bit like a fifth wheel, so kept up a steady chatter of distraction. It wasn't that Ray Steele disapproved of me, but I could tell he was struggling that I was now Ana's 'go to' man.

"Lillian wanted me to thank you for her invite to the wedding. It was very special to her."

"It was very special for us to have her there, Daddy," Ana said, giving her father a big grin. "I couldn't imagine being married without her there, so Christian and I were thrilled to invite her!" It took me a moment to remember Lillian was Ray's long-term bookkeeper.

"Absolutely!" I chimed in enthusiastically. "Lillian has been such a constant in Ana's life – it wouldn't have occurred to us not to include her," I declared, ignoring my wife's discreet leg squeeze as she no doubt recalled the argument when I'd balked at the inclusion of 'some random' in our wedding as I'd referred to Lillian at the time!

Ray nodded in respect. "She's a single woman with no family, and she's doted on Annie since she was a tot," he explained. "Inviting her to your special day meant the world to her. She's been as proud as punch to tell everyone!"

Ana asked Ray to send her love, while I immediately decided to send the spinster a bouquet of flowers tomorrow along with a framed photo of her with Ana and me at the wedding.

"So, any chance there'll be another wedding, soon?" Ray asked speculatively, looking across to where Kate was sitting with Elliot, Mia, and Ethan.

"Who knows?!" I smirked, slipping away to have a quiet word with the room attendant.

Standing at the back of the room quietly issuing my instructions, I looked at the group of people gathered. Family. Friends. If you told me a year ago I'd have a wife, and a baby on the way, and was happy to be spending time with my family I would not have believed it. Yet here I was, and it was the most comfortable I'd ever been.

The play was fast and furious, and before we knew it, we were at halftime, and the Seahawks were leading. Mom, Gail, and Grandma were sitting chatting, my grandmother's knitting needles clicking as she knitted yet another gift for the baby. Ray, Dad, Grandpa, and Taylor were standing beside them talking about their forecasts for the season.

"Ohh!" Ana squealed suddenly pointing to the scoreboard. "Elliot and Kate are on kiss cam!"

I looked up, and sure enough, there were the grinning faces of my brother and Kate. Elliot gave Kate the obligatory kiss before the scoreboard lit up with 'Marry me, Kate?'

Elliot stood and dropped to one knee, holding out the ring. Kate was squealing and nodding enthusiastically, the whole exchange caught on the kiss cam. The crowd was going nuts cheering, but it was nothing compared to the celebrations in our skybox. Right on cue, attendants appeared, providing everyone with a glass of champagne and we toasted the newly engaged couple.

"Did you know about this?!" Ana demanded, punching me playfully on the arm as we stood to make our congratulations to Elliot and Kate.

"Elliot bought the diamond the same weekend I bought yours," I admitted, looking at my wife's happy face.

"And what about kiss cam?!"

"He only told me about that just before the game," I soothed.

"It was _perfect!"_ Ana grinned, leaning up to kiss me. "Kate's always wanted a big romantic proposal!"

Elliot was looking a lot happier now he'd done the deed.

"Congratulations, bro," I said, hugging him while Kate was grinning, showing off her ring to Mia and Ana. "You did good."

"I did, didn't I?" he asked, looking at his fiancée. "You know I'm going to need a best man…"


	69. Chapter 69

The four months since our honeymoon had flown. With work, Boyce Fox' book launch and wildly successful sales campaign, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years, everything had been just wonderful. There'd been nothing significant from the investigation into Elena's death or the arson at her home. Jack Hyde had disappeared off the face of the earth, and Leila had returned to live with her parents and by all accounts was doing well. All of Seattle knew I was expecting, and while the general sentiment was overwhelmingly supportive, I was getting over photographers leaping out in front of me at inopportune moments. I just wanted to hide!

At Escala, Christian helped me step into my high heels, gently massaging my very swollen belly. At thirty-seven weeks pregnant I was emotional, tired and needed to pee _constantly._ I was also well and truly ready to meet our boy!

Despite initially deciding to keep blip's sex a surprise, at our twenty-week scan with Dr. Greene we'd caved, and now Christian, and I knew that little Theodore Raymond Grey was onboard. Because of the intense media interest, and the fact that nothing we did these days was private, we'd decided to keep the gender and name to ourselves – despite Grace and Mia's very determined efforts to inveigle information from us once they appreciated we knew.

Tonight was my last public social outing before he arrived. I'd officially been on maternity leave for a week from SIP, and after this evening I was happy to sequester myself at home until Teddy, as we'd decided to call him, arrived. However, Grace being honored for thirty years of service at the annual Seattle Grace Hospital fundraiser was not an event I could miss, and so I'd allowed Caroline Acton to attempt the impossible; locating me an elegant maternity evening gown for my very heavily pregnant self.

"You look so beautiful," Christian assured me, understanding my self-confidence was capricious at best. "I wish you could see yourself the way I see you," he whispered, pulling me to him and then slow dancing at the end of our bed. "So beautiful. So _desirable."_ Christian stopped to kiss me gently. "I think we should leave early tonight so I can make love to you before I have to go."

I nodded shyly, lowering my eyes so Christian couldn't see my distress. A situation had come up with a deal in Mexico, so tomorrow Christian was flying out to try and rectify it. He was only likely to be gone a few days but worried about me being alone while so heavily pregnant, he'd roped his mother into staying with me at Escala while he was away.

"I'm only three hours flight away, baby," Christian reassured me for at least the tenth time. "If anything happens, anything at all, I can be back here before you know it." I knew his assurances were for himself as much as me, so I nodded and smiled.

"If anything happens, I'll make sure you're called straight away," I promised. Dr. Greene had already told us she felt we were a few weeks away, yet, but the closer we came to the end of my pregnancy, the more I wanted Christian to be around.

My ever-handsome husband helped me down the stairs to the great room, careful to avoid rolling his eyes as I announced I needed to use the bathroom before we left. _Again._ In the elevator on the way downstairs, he cuddled me close, and then carefully helped me into the SUV.

"We don't have to stay long," Christian promised, caressing me as we neared the Arctic Club and the Northern Lights Ballroom. I hadn't been there since our first wedding dance in September. Now, mid-February, we were attending as Grace's guests as she was invested as a laureate of the Seattle Grace for thirty years of devoted work.

"We're here, baby," Christian said as we pulled up. Unsurprisingly, the paparazzi were out in full force. Great. Because every heavily pregnant woman wants her image splashed across the society page of a tabloid. Not!

Christian guided me from the car, across the carpet and over to the elevator. Most people were climbing the picturesque stairs and posing for photos, but in heels and unable to see my feet, frankly, that was a pipedream at this point.

We stepped out of the elevator and moved toward the ballroom. There was congestion at the entryway as each couple stopped to be photographed. It was part of the fundraising activities – the photos would be available for purchase later in the evening. We'd pulled up behind a couple when the man turned around, noticing Christian and me beside him.

"Christian," he greeted with a friendly smile. "Good to see you again."

"Liam," Christian said reciprocating his greeting, shaking the other man's hand. "Ana? This is Liam Preston. We met at Harvard. Liam – can I introduce my wife, Anastasia." But my eyes were trained on his companion. Susannah Millward.

"Susannah. Lovely to see you again," I initiated, leaning forward and giving her an air kiss. As strange as it might seem to some, I felt a particular affinity with Christian's last sub. While meeting Leila had been disturbing, I had no ill feelings regarding Susannah. Quite the opposite, really.

"Ms. Millward," Christian said politely, giving her a nod and a small smile but not approaching.

"Soon to be Mrs. Preston," Liam announced with a happy smile as Susannah gave him a lovestruck grin.

"That's wonderful news! I wish the two of you every happiness," Christian said, giving Liam a genuine smile. "If you're as happy in your marriage as I am in mine, then you are a lucky man indeed," he declared, slipping his arm around my non-existent waist, making me smile and blush.

Susannah's grin was contagious, and I admired her large diamond engagement ring, and we chatted about the imminent arrival of blip as the men spoke quietly, no doubt about Elena.

"It looks like it worked out for all of us," Susannah said quietly, referencing her hopes from our first meeting.

"It does," I said kindly. "I hope you're very happy together."

The line moved, and then it was their turn to be photographed.

"Have a good night," I said to the pair as they stepped forward to have their photo taken under the processional arch before disappearing into the packed ballroom.

"Are you ok?" Christian checked urgently, trying to get a read on my emotional state. Running into one of her husband's former lovers was enough to rock any woman, but especially one who was so heavily pregnant and feeling particularly emotional.

"I am," I said, actually meaning it. "They look very happy together."

Once inside, Christian led me to the family table. Everyone was there, including Ethan Kavanagh as Mia's plus one. I still didn't know what to make of that situation. Christian was of the opinion that Ethan would be just one more in a long string of men Mia dated for a few weeks before moving on. However, I suspected she'd been seeing Ethan for a _lot_ longer than any of us appreciated. Christian being the archetype controlling big brother, though, I kept those suspicions to myself.

"How are you feeling?" Kate asked, plonking herself onto the vacant seat beside me.

"Like a beached whale decorated in crushed velvet and tulle," I groaned. "My feet are swollen, so it's probably a good thing I can't see them, and I can't get comfortable no matter how I sit. And let's not even _talk_ about trying to sleep!"

"Not long now," Kate said sympathetically, running her hand gently over my bump.

"How's the wedding planning?" I asked, mostly to steer the conversation away from my irritable laments. For the next half an hour, I listened as Kate detailed the latest. She and Elliot were having a late June wedding. It was going to be huge, with the guest list topping two hundred. Kate had thrilled Mia by asking her to be a bridesmaid, while I was her Matron of Honor. Elliot had immediately asked Christian to be his best man, and after some pressure from Kate and Mia, had requested Ethan to serve as his other groomsman.

To say Kate was in her element was an understatement. She _loved_ every moment of wedding planning, as did Grace and Mia. Christian had spent more than one evening locked in his study, the dining room at Escala commandeered by his wife, mother, sister and soon to be sister-in-law as Kate planned everything, down to the very last detail.

"Do we really have another four months until it's over?" Christian murmured softly in my ear as Kate moved around the table to check something with Mia.

"Be nice," I warned him. I didn't want to call Kate a Bridezilla, but if the veil fit… I was already tired – I couldn't cope with a Kate Kavanagh, soon to be Grey, meltdown tonight. And somehow, Christian's teasing managed to push Kate's every button!

"I think you made the right decision to have a small wedding," Elliot said approaching and rolling his eyes at his fiancées' antics. "Wow – look at you, Ana! You look…" Christian turned and glared at Elliot. "… absolutely magnificent."

"You were going to say huge!" I accused Elliot.

"I was not," he quickly retorted. "I might be male, but I'm not _that_ stupid! You do look great!"

"Boys? Anastasia - you look lovely, darling," Grace said coming across to greet us. As always, Grace was the picture of elegance and subtle sophistication. All but gliding towards us, she hugged me sweetly, looking at me for permission before running her hand over my bump. Teddy responded with a kick, and Grace all but swooned.

"Is my little prince or princess awake?" she asked.

"Sure is. They've been bouncing on my bladder for the last two hours," I said with a smile that I suspect looked more like a grimace.

"Not long now," she replied sweetly. I swear – the next person who said that might be murdered!

The night itself was ok. I chatted a lot with Grandma Adele and danced with Christian, Elliot, Ethan, Grandpa Theo and finally Carrick.

"I was so wrong about you, Anastasia," my last dance partner confessed as he led me around the edge of the dancefloor. "You're the best thing that ever happened to Christian."

I knew Carrick was repentant for all he'd said to and about me, but it still smarted.

"Thank you, Carrick. I know it was coming from a place of love, but you hurt me."

"I know Anastasia…"

"You can make it up by being the best Grandfather you can be to this little one," I interrupted, my gaze dropping to the large baby bump between us, "and helping Christian. He's trying not to let on to me, but I know he's worried about becoming a father. He's going to need your support, and you need to ask him if he has concerns – he won't necessarily feel comfortable just outright asking."

"I can do that. Theo, Taylor and I were already planning to have a day with him before the baby arrives to talk to him about being a father."

"Thank you, Carrick. Your son means the world to me. And just so you know, we will be having a paternity test done after our baby is born." Carrick went to interject, but I continued.

"Christian and I want there never to be any doubt that our baby is biologically his and mine. If there is proof, then we can permanently set that idea to rest."

"I am already sure," Carrick tried to explain.

I shrugged. He'd accused me of faking a pregnancy or forcing another man's child onto Christian. Damn right I wanted proof!

"You look tired, baby," Christian said, swooping in at the end of the song before I had a chance to respond to Carrick.

"I am," I admitted. We'd stayed long enough to see Grace's investiture, and now we were on to the drinking and dancing part of the evening. "Take me home?"

"My pleasure," Christian said, his eyes meeting mine, loaded with sensual challenge.

* * *

"How did you sleep, darling?" Grace asked as I waddled out to breakfast on Monday morning. Gail had her usual delicious spread waiting, and as per our agreement when Christian and Taylor were away, she joined me at the dining table.

Grace, Gail and I chatted comfortably as I picked at my breakfast and drank a cup of tea. If I ate too quickly, I got indigestion, yet I was also constantly hungry. Consequently, every meal had turned into a long graze-fest.

Grace had taken eight weeks holiday as a prelude to cutting down her professional hours. She wanted to be available and present over the last few weeks before blip's arrival and when he first arrived. Long term, she planned to drop down to three days a week, eventually scaling back to two. She'd made no secret that with blip's arrival, she felt it was time to begin the next phase of her life.

"I feel ok. Sleeping without Christian next to me is hard. But then it's hard to sleep with him here, too!"

Grace and Gail laughed sympathetically. Neither had experienced pregnancy firsthand, but they were still wonderful support. My own mother was arriving in less than a week. As soon as the GEH jet brought Christian home, it would be tasked with flying to Savannah to collect Mom. She was calling every day and listened to my increasing tirade of complaints, and perhaps for the first time, I was looking forward to her presence.

"What would you like to do today?" Grace asked cautiously. With Christian's absence, my emotions were all over the shop, so she was particularly cautious. "There's been more presents dropped at SIP, GEH, and downstairs. Taylor's vetted it all, but perhaps we could sort through it?"

I nodded, feeling immensely guilty. Our unborn child, already so fortunate, had become the unwitting recipient of hundreds of gifts. Friends, acquaintances, businesses, business associates and even strangers had been dropping off presents at my workplace, Christian's and at Escala reception. We had more than enough for thirty children, so after an initial screen by Taylor, I had been sorting them.

Gifts from businesses and business associates GEH dealt with were sorted into one pile, each gift or outfit labeled by its giver. Mostly clothing, once Teddy arrived, I planned to either send a photo of him wearing it and a thank you, or arrange a meeting with Teddy wearing the gift in question. Andrea assured me if I sent her through the list, she'd sort it out from there, giving me the necessary heads up.

Presents from friends was a little easier. Most just needed a wash and to be put into Teddy's ever-expanding wardrobe.

Anonymous offerings from strangers were the most problematic. Taylor had already intercepted several teddy bears and similar with electronic transmitting devices embedded. It had caused a _huge_ meltdown when he'd first explained the situation to me. The idea that some stranger might want to observe our baby via a loved soft toy was both terrifying and horrific. I was grateful Taylor, and his team had scanned every gift, known giver or not, so by the time it made it through to me I knew the presents were safe.

We'd been given so very much, that almost ninety percent of what we received Gail packed up to send to shelters, children's charities and other welfare outlets. It was obscene to accept gifts for blip when he already had so much – hence our decision to redistribute what we could.

"Oh! Look at this!" Grace exclaimed, sifting through the stack of children's books we'd been gifted. "This was Christian's _favorite_ book when he came to us! I could read it over and over, and he'd never get enough of it," she explained.

She handed a picture book to me. _Are You My Mother?_ My heart clenched as I looked at it. It made sense. No wonder that book had resonated with my poor, confused childhood fifty.

"This one has an inscription," I commented as I flicked through the pages.

 _Not long now, and then all the_ _ **fun**_ _begins, baby bird!_

"Oh, that's so sweet!" I said, passing it to Gail. "We don't have this one, yet. Put it in Blip's room."

 **The End**

* * *

 _Thanks for your support, reviews, messages, follows and faves for this, my first Fifty Shades of Grey story. It's been lovely being so warmly welcomed into a new fandom, so thank you so very much! And for those Vampire Academy readers who have followed me across here – welcome to the dark side ;)  
_

 _I have a few projects on the go, so if you're interested in keeping in the loop of what I'm up to, feel free to check out my Facebook author page:  
www facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters_

 _I'll be taking a short break before I start my next story, so am now looking forward to binge-reading and catching up with reading I've been neglecting_ _:)  
_


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